PR in the Philippines

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 28/04/2026 / 14:40 UTC+8 SHANGHAI, April 27, 2026 — Volant Aerotech, a leading pioneer in China’s commercial passenger eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) sector, today announced the closing of a $300 million Series C funding round. This transaction sets a new record as the largest single financing event in China’s low-altitude economy and the high-end commercial passenger eVTOL sector in recent years. The round was led by Stone (UAE), with participation from HSG and Fortera Capital. Existing shareholders Future Capital and Legend Capital also significantly increased their stakes. The capital injection is earmarked for the airworthiness certification of the VE25-100 model, accelerated large-scale commercial delivery, and the expansion of Volant’s global market footprint.   Industry-Leading R&D and Safety Milestones Founded in 2021, Volant Aerotech has strictly adhered to its "three types, three generations" product and technical roadmap. Its flagship composite-wing aircraft, the VE25-100, is purpose-built for commercial passenger transport. It offers a spacious, flexible cabin and safety standards comparable to civil airliners, designed to operate in diverse weather conditions with high dispatch rates. Key technical achievements include: Advanced Flight Testing: Completion of high-risk flight tests, including single-propeller failure and emergency landings. Manned Flight Success: The first successful manned flight for an aircraft in its class, validating superior handling and system stability. Certification Timeline: Airworthiness certification is progressing steadily, with completion projected for the first half of 2027.   Global Commercial Traction and Backlog Volant’s commercial momentum has surged since securing its first firm order last year. Within just 12 months, the company has built a robust portfolio: Total Orders: Over 1,900 aircraft with a total value exceeding RMB 47.5 billion ($6.5B+ USD). Blue-Chip Clients: Confirmed orders and advanced payments (totaling nearly RMB 100 million) from major players including China Southern Airlines General Aviation, Asian Express, ABC Financial Leasing, and so on. International Record: Over 500 overseas orders from partners in Thailand (Pan Pacific), Dubai (IC Leasing), and Germany (DC Aviation). A single $1.75 billion deal with Pan Pacific remains the largest export order for a Chinese eVTOL to date.   A New Era for the Low-Altitude Economy With 12 rounds of financing completed over five years totaling over RMB 4 billion, Volant stands as one of the most well-funded and frequently backed enterprises in the sector. "The participation of global benchmarks like HSG and international players like Stone validates our technical prowess and R&D efficiency," the company stated. Industry observers note that this massive funding round signals a consolidation in the market, with Volant emerging as a "unicorn" representing China’s competitive strength in the global low-altitude economy.   About Volant Aerotech Volant Aerotech is a premier developer of passenger-grade eVTOL aircraft. Its flagship VE25-100 model is designed for a wide range of applications, including commercial passenger transport, low-altitude sightseeing, emergency rescue and aerial logistics.Media Contact: marketing@volantaerotech.com 28/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 27/04/2026 / 18:20 UTC+8  Debut tableware collection developed in collaboration with Bernardaud, a renowned French porcelain maison expanding the brand’s luxury lifestyle universe (Hong Kong, 27 April 2026) Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited ("Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group", the "Group" or the "Company"; SEHK stock code: 1929), the global Chinese luxury group built on a nearly century-long legacy of trust and innovation, today announced its venture beyond jewellery - the launch of Chow Tai Fook Home, a new luxury home-décor line. The unveiling, ahead of the grand opening of the Group’s first global flagship store on Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui in mid-May, marks a milestone in the Group’s brand transformation journey.   Since embarking on a holistic brand transformation in 2024, the Group has sharpened its focus on elevating customer experience through newly designed stores and a differentiated product portfolio. These dual launches deepen the Group’s commitment to enrich customer engagement and extend its relevance to a broader spectrum of discerning consumers worldwide.   Ms Sonia Cheng, Vice-chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, said, “The opening of our global flagship store and the debut of Chow Tai Fook Home mark a defining moment in our brand’s ongoing transformation. For nearly a century, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery has been a custodian of exceptional Chinese craftsmanship, and Chow Tai Fook Home represents a natural evolution of that heritage — bringing our artistry into the everyday lives of our customers. By entering the home-décor category, we are broadening the meaning of Chow Tai Fook and reinforcing our stature as a leader in the global luxury market.”   Debut Chow Tai Fook Home Tableware Line in Collaboration with Bernardaud   Chow Tai Fook Home represents a significant strategic extension of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery into elevated everyday living. As the first global Chinese luxury group to enter the luxury home category, the Group is bringing its mastery of fine craftsmanship to objects designed to enrich home décor. Developed in collaboration with internationally acclaimed brand, Bernardaud – the venerable French porcelain maison – Chow Tai Fook Home’s tableware collections,  Rouge and Ginkgo, bring together world-class artisanal traditions with a contemporary design language. This expansion reinforces the Group’s positioning in the global luxury landscape, while integrating the brand more deeply into customers’ daily lives.   Dazzled by Heritage Pavilion and Gold Ginkgo Tree   The Group’s first global flagship store, which soft-launched in February, occupies a prime location on Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong’s iconic luxury destination. Conceived as the Home of Chow Tai Fook, the concept frames the brand’s history and craft as the point of origin for the store. With the space harmonising the brand’s signature ‘Chow Tai Fook Timeless Red’ with the warmth of natural wood, it creates an ambience that is refined and welcoming.   At the threshold of the store, a Heritage Pavilion chronicles the brand’s journey since its founding in 1929, celebrating Chow Tai Fook Jewellery’s pioneering role in the industry and its dedication to preserving ancient gold crafting traditions – including chasing and filigree – developed in collaboration with leading cultural and academic institutions.   Commanding over the entrance is the brand’s signature Gold Ginkgo Tree, which stands 2.1 metres tall and 2.3 metres wide, is adorned with approximately 3,500 pure gold leaves, weighs around 40 kilograms, handcrafted by nearly 50 master craftsmen in close to 60,000 hours, and completed in 2016. Enduring through the ages, the gingko tree stands as a symbol of resilience, grace and blessing. For nearly a century, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery has embodied the same spirit – constantly evolving, yet timeless in its craft.   An Immersive Luxury Experience   Beyond the Heritage Pavilion, the flagship store is thoughtfully zoned to present the Group’s iconic collections – including CTF Rouge, CTF Joie, Chow Tai Fook Palace Museum and HUÁ Collections – curated to reflect individual tastes and occasions. At the heart of the store, the brand introduces “Charm Your Path”, an interactive personalisation experience making its Hong Kong debut. Drawing on Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality types alongside Chinese zodiac symbolism, astrological meaning and personal style preferences, customers can create bespoke charm bracelets. The store also features High Jewellery, HEARTS ON FIRE collections, a dedicated bridal zone for couples, and a private VIP zone.   By weaving together the brand history, spatial elegance and interactive discovery, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery is redefining the luxury experience, setting a new benchmark for Chinese luxury on the global stage.     ###   Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited Since its founding in 1929, CHOW TAI FOOK, the flagship brand of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, has been celebrated for its bold designs and meticulous attention to detail. Our commitment to innovation and craftsmanship has made us synonymous with excellence, value, and authenticity.   As the global Chinese luxury group, we blend contemporary designs with traditional techniques to create timeless pieces. Each collection reflects our customers' stories and lives, celebrating their special moments. We aspire to inspire and captivate generations to come, weaving the story of CHOW TAI FOOK into their own.   Our brand portfolio includes the iconic CHOW TAI FOOK flagship brand, HEARTS ON FIRE, ENZO, and MONOLOGUE, offering a wide variety of products that also includes an expanding range of cutting-edge IP collaborations. With over 5,000 stores worldwide, we offer a seamless client journey across all touchpoints that includes a network across China as well as a growing number of global locations.   Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (SEHK: 1929) has been listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since December 2011. We are committed to delivering sustainable long-term value for our stakeholders by continually enhancing earnings quality and driving higher value growth.     Media Enquiries: Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited   Haide Ng Associate Director, Corporate Communications Tel: (852) 3115 4402 Email: haideng@chowtaifook.com   Acky Chan Senior Manager, Corporate Communications Tel: (852) 3115 4403 Email: ackychan@chowtaifook.com 27/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 27/04/2026 / 15:38 UTC+8 Why China Hongqiao Is Hard to Sell as Aluminum Gets Repriced？Aluminum’s Supply Shock Rewrites the Trade, Making Hongqiao’s Pullbacks Look BuyableGlobal markets are repricing aluminum. For years, aluminum was traded largely as a cyclical commodity: prices rose when demand improved and fell when inventories built up. This year, that framework is changing. Aluminum is increasingly being viewed as a supply-security asset. Conflict in the Middle East has raised energy and shipping risks. Disruption around the Strait of Hormuz has complicated the flow of raw materials into overseas smelters and the shipment of finished metal out of them. Policy shifts in Guinea, meanwhile, have forced investors to take another look at the scarcity value of bauxite. For China Hongqiao Group Ltd., that points to a simple conclusion: as long as the aluminum market remains intact, the stock will be hard to sell down in any meaningful way. The macro logic is straightforward. China’s domestic electrolytic aluminum capacity is approaching the 45 million-ton ceiling, leaving limited room for new supply. Overseas capacity is constrained by power availability, natural gas costs, logistics and geopolitics. Demand may still move with the cycle, but electric vehicles, solar power, energy storage, grid investment, lightweight materials and AI-related infrastructure continue to raise the medium- and long-term floor for aluminum consumption. Guotai Haitong Securities has said in a research note that aluminum supply is likely to remain tight in 2026, and raised its target price for China Hongqiao to HK$43.2. Its reasoning included domestic operating capacity nearing the regulatory cap and a high copper-to-aluminum price ratio encouraging substitution demand. Separately, a CICC view cited by Futubull noted that after Qatar Aluminium and Aluminium Bahrain declared force majeure, LME aluminum once climbed to $3,418 a ton, creating room for a rerating as aluminum prices and per-ton profits rise. Hongqiao is different from a smelter that merely tracks aluminum prices. It has an integrated chain covering upstream bauxite resources, alumina, electrolytic aluminum and aluminum processing. Huayuan Securities said in an April 25 report that by the end of 2025 China Hongqiao had 21 million tons of alumina capacity at home and abroad, 6.46 million tons of compliant electrolytic aluminum capacity, and 970,000 tons of aluminum processing capacity. The report also said Hongqiao, as a member of the Winning Consortium, has exposure to bauxite resources in Guinea. In 2025, the consortium’s Boké bauxite exports exceeded 70 million wet metric tons, while Winning International expects shipments to surpass 90 million tons in 2026. Huayuan also estimated Hongqiao’s theoretical alumina self-sufficiency ratio at 171%. Those numbers matter. When aluminum prices rise, investors focus on earnings leverage. When supply chains tighten, they focus on resource certainty. Hongqiao has both. Guinea sits at the center of that logic. A previous report by Minmetals Futures showed that in the first 10 months of 2025, China imported 171.4 million tons of bauxite, up 30.11% from a year earlier. Imports from Guinea reached 127.43 million tons, up 38.37%. Guinea is no longer a marginal supplier. It is a core variable in China’s aluminum raw-material security. For ordinary aluminum producers, that dependence is a risk. For Hongqiao, with long-term mine access and logistics infrastructure, it is a moat. Huachuang Securities offered another angle in an April 3 report. China Hongqiao’s 2025 revenue rose 4.0% to 162.35 billion yuan, while net profit attributable to shareholders increased 1.2% to a record 22.64 billion yuan. Sales of aluminum alloy products reached 5.824 million tons, with the gross margin rising to 28.5%. Its debt-to-asset ratio fell to 42.25% from 48.24%. Huachuang set a HK$44 target price and maintained its “recommended” rating, while raising its 2026-2028 net profit forecasts to 32.15 billion yuan, 34.97 billion yuan and 38.29 billion yuan. Shareholder returns add another layer of support. Shenwan Hongyuan said in an April 2 report that China Hongqiao proposed a 2025 final dividend of HK$1.65 per share, implying a payout ratio of about 65.4%. During the year, the company spent HK$5.58 billion buying back 306 million shares, all of which were canceled. The broker maintained an “accumulate” rating and forecast net profit of 32.2 billion yuan, 34.4 billion yuan and 37.8 billion yuan for 2026-2028. Foreign brokers have also been constructive. According to an AASTOCKS summary, HSBC Research said Hongqiao’s 2025 results were solid, though slightly below expectations, and maintained a “buy” rating with a HK$41 target price. HSBC said aluminum looked more resilient than copper and gold within its coverage universe amid macro uncertainty. It also noted that Hongqiao was trading at about 7.7 times estimated 2026 earnings, with a dividend yield of roughly 9%, making the valuation attractive. That is the underlying reason Hongqiao is hard to push lower. In the short term, the stock will still move with Hong Kong market sentiment, capital flows and commodity-price volatility. But as long as aluminum’s price floor does not collapse, and as long as Guinea bauxite and overseas smelter disruptions remain live issues, the market will find it difficult to ignore Hongqiao’s earnings leverage, resource position and cash returns. Put more directly: aluminum prices give Hongqiao earnings upside; bauxite resources give it a valuation premium; dividends and buybacks give the stock a cushion. Cyclical stocks are most vulnerable when the pricing logic breaks. Hongqiao’s support now comes from more than aluminum prices. It comes from ore access, alumina self-sufficiency, its position on the cost curve and shareholder returns. As long as aluminum remains in demand, and as long as global supply chains continue to price in risks from energy, shipping and resource policy, every sentiment-driven pullback in Hongqiao looks less like the start of a reversal and more like another chance to buy.   27/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 27/04/2026 / 14:42 UTC+8 A natural-language tool that enables businesses to integrate payment functions with a single prompt, accelerating digital adoption and AI deployment   Macau - 27 Apr 2026 - Macau Pass has launched its self-developed AI-powered payment integration tool, the AI Payment Assistant, and is making it available to local merchants, developers and ecosystem partners. The tool enables users to complete payment integration through natural-language prompts, reducing technical barriers and shortening development cycles for commercial applications. The launch comes as payments evolve from basic interface functions into core infrastructure supporting AI-powered services. Macau Pass, one of Macao’s leading fintech platforms, has built its business around local payments and digital lifestyle services. Its MPay app has become one of the city’s main mobile payment tools and is widely used by merchants and residents in everyday transactions. Building on this foundation, Macau Pass is further integrating payment capabilities with AI technology, enabling payments to move beyond simple connectivity toward AI-driven execution and become a key building block for the next generation of digital commerce. Traditional payment integration typically requires manual coding and technical coordination, resulting in long development cycles and high costs. With the new AI payment tool, developers can simply enter a request in natural language. For example, they can ask to build an application with ordering and payment functions, and the system will automatically generate the relevant code and integration logic. This significantly improves development efficiency and enables more merchants and developers to accelerate their digital transformation with lower barriers. The tool supports major local payment methods including Simple Pay，MPay, Alipay and WeChat Pay, and is also compatible with multiple cross-border e-wallets. It helps move AI beyond conversation into executable business capabilities, while also supporting Macao’s diverse payment needs as an international tourism hub and a key city in the Greater Bay Area. Macau Pass said as AI becomes an increasingly important driver of business efficiency, the company aims to standardize and make payment functions more intelligent. This ensures AI does not remain confined to the technical layer but can more effectively support merchant operations and industry development, while injecting fresh momentum into the local digital economy. Zhao Hao, Chief Technology Officer of Macau Pass, said: “In the AI era, payments are no longer just a tool for completing transactions, but core infrastructure that powers business operations and innovation. Through AI technology, Macau Pass aims to lower the barriers to innovation for merchants and developers, enabling more applications to move from idea to deployment more quickly, and enhancing overall business efficiency and industry vitality.” Looking ahead, Macau Pass will continue integrating AI, payments and local lifestyle services to build a more efficient and intelligent digital commerce ecosystem. The company aims to enhance digital experiences for Macao residents, create a more efficient operating environment for merchants, and support the city’s smart-city development and broader economic diversification.   Public Relations, Macau Pass Group Holdings Ltd.MayEmail: myt455242@alibaba-inc.com 27/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 27/04/2026 / 10:50 UTC+8 Hong Kong - April 27, 2026 - (SeaPRwire) - As one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world, the linkage between Asia's core business hubs is becoming increasingly close. To adapt to this trend and help multinational enterprises achieve highly efficient cross-regional PR synergy, SeaPRwire (https://seaprwire.com) announced today that it has officially completed a comprehensive strategic upgrade of its "one-stop" PR communication links across Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore, as Asia's four major economic and financial engines, each possess unique media ecosystems and business cultures, yet they are simultaneously the preferred choices for many multinational enterprises setting up Asia-Pacific headquarters. In the past, when enterprises conducted PR placements in these regions, they often had to interface with different local agencies, which not only incurred high communication costs but also made it difficult to guarantee brand tonality consistency. The core of SeaPRwire's upgrade this time is to break down geographical barriers and integrate top-tier media resources from these four regions in a modular, one-stop manner. Through the upgraded full-featured workbench, corporate PR teams only need to use a single background to simultaneously assign and monitor news distribution tasks in these four countries and regions. Based on the communication goals set by the enterprise, the AI system automatically coordinates the distribution rhythm of media across the four regions. Whether releasing strategies in Singapore, synchronizing with capital markets in Hong Kong, or conducting localized product promotions in Japan and South Korea, millisecond-level cross-border synergy and voice resonance can be achieved. "Business competition in Asia has long ceased to be a solo fight; it is a contest of regional synergy," emphasized SeaPRwire's VP of Product. "By opening up the links across Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore, we aim to provide enterprises with a 'PR highway network' covering Asia's core economic circles. Enterprises can easily leverage the attention of mainstream media across the entirety of Asia as simply as distributing drafts locally." About SeaPRwire SeaPRwire is Asia’s leading AI-driven earned media management platform, purpose-built to empower PR and communications professionals. Through its flagship Branding-Insight Program, the platform connects clients to over 80,000 journalists and an influencer matrix reaching 300 million followers. Leveraging advanced AI, SeaPRwire helps users identify media targets, personalize pitches, and measure PR impact across key APAC markets, including Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Media Contact Company: SeaPRwire Contact: Media Relations Team Email: cs@seaprwire.com Website: https://seaprwire.com 27/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 27/04/2026 / 09:00 UTC+8 The open-sourcing of DeepSeek V4 is triggering renewed market attention toward the large language model (LLM) value chain. Industry consensus holds that as open-source models continue to improve in capability and inference barriers keep falling, enterprise-grade AI application deployment is entering a phase of broad-based acceleration. Token consumption across scenarios including intelligent customer service, agent collaboration, knowledge base Q&A, and business process automation is poised to enter a new cycle of explosive growth.Market observers note that in this phase of accelerated LLM adoption, the primary beneficiaries are not limited to foundational model providers alone. AI application infrastructure companies capable of handling high-frequency enterprise-level calls, accumulating vertical domain data, and generating sustained subscription revenues also command significant revaluation potential.Xunce Technology stands as a paradigmatic example of this investment thesis. With over a decade of deep cultivation in high-barrier industries, the company has built end-to-end capabilities spanning data acquisition, cleansing, standardization, real-time computation, and model fine-tuning—refining raw, heterogeneous, non-standardized data into vertical tokens that LLMs can directly and efficiently consume. This capability stack is not only technically demanding but also critically dependent on the continuous accumulation of long-term industry know-how. Having become deeply embedded in core enterprise business workflows, it remains difficult to replicate.From the latest performance metrics, the company's operational improvements are beginning to manifest in financial results. Xunce's 2025 results show AI revenue growing 105% year-over-year, inaugurating a second growth curve. In April 2026, Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) related to token calls surged 300% quarter-over-quarter. Token-based paid revenue has already broken through 5% of total revenue, with a full-year target of lifting this to 20%–30%.Beyond revenue growth, the company's penetration across customer scenarios continues to deepen. Public disclosures indicate its services now span more than ten industries, including asset management, telecommunications, power, energy, robotics training platforms, commercial aerospace, and biotech. Market analysis suggests this diversified customer structure reflects deep integration with business workflows and real-time data processing demands, conferring stronger customer stickiness and commercialization certainty.More importantly, the impact of DeepSeek V4 is being reassessed. The core implication of open-source model iteration is not simple value compression across the industry, but rather increased model supply, reduced barriers to application development, and the embedding of AI into daily business operations for a growing number of enterprises. As model capabilities become universally accessible, enterprise focus is shifting from "whether we have a model" to "whether we have scenarios, whether we have data, whether we have stable access points."From this perspective, Xunce's investment logic is undergoing a fundamental transition.The market previously tended to categorize the company as a "LLM concept extension," leaving it vulnerable to sentiment volatility around foundation model competition, price wars, and open-source disruption. Yet as DeepSeek V4 drives further model proliferation, the enterprise-level inference calls, knowledge queries, customer service interactions, and agent execution demands that Xunce captures are instead seeing substantial volume expansion.In other words, the richer the model supply, the easier it becomes for enterprises to deploy AI; the more applications are deployed, the higher the value of vertical-domain calls. It is understood that Xunce's vertical token pricing has reached $10–$100 per million tokens—more than ten times that of Anthropic—and continues to rise based on specialized use cases.If the company continues to deliver positive signals on ARR and AI commercialization conversion rates, the market's valuation anchor for Xunce could shift from "model mapping" to "enterprise-grade AI application infrastructure."Overall, DeepSeek V4's open-source release represents not a simplistic model substitution narrative, but a systemic opportunity characterized by accelerated enterprise AI adoption, expanding token demand, and enhanced value in vertical scenarios.With AI revenue maintaining high growth, customer structures continuing to diversify, and application scenarios deepening, Xunce Technology is increasingly viewed as one of the most direct beneficiaries of enterprise-grade token demand growth in this wave of industry upgrading driven by open-source models.   27/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 23/04/2026 / 18:48 UTC+8 【FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE】   23 April 2026     Yip’s Chemical Announces Official Opening of New Plant for its Coatings Business in Vietnam   Seizing the strong growth momentum of industrial coatings, building a high-end plastic coatings production base, and deepening the Southeast Asian supply chain layout   （Hong Kong, 23 April 2026）Yip’s Chemical Holdings Limited (SEHK: 00408) (“Yip’s Chemical” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries collectively referred to as the “Group”) is pleased to announce that the new plant of its coatings business in Vietnam, "Hang Cheung (Vietnam) Advanced Materials Company Limited"（CÔNG TY TNHH VẬT LIỆU CAO CẤP HANG CHEUNG (VIỆT NAM)）("Hang Cheung Vietnam"), officially opened on 22 April, 2026. This move marks a critical step for the Group in expanding into the Southeast Asian market and optimising its global supply chain layout. It further consolidates the Group's strategic initiatives for overseas expansion and strengthens its localised service capabilities for Southeast Asian and overseas customers.   Yip’s Chemical Announces Official Opening of New Plant for its Coatings Business in Vietnam   Establishing a Foothold in the Core Hub of Haiphong to Strengthen Southeast Asian Market Layout The new Hang Cheung Vietnam plant is located in the Dinh Vu-Cat Hai Economic Zone in Haiphong City, Vietnam, covering an area of over 7,200 square meters with an annual production capacity of approximately 3,000 metric tonnes. It is equipped with a precise color matching system, rigorous quality control mechanisms, and a globally certified professional testing laboratory. Upon commencing production, the new plant will primarily serve high-end plastic coatings customers in Southeast Asia. Relying on the strong support of Hang Cheung Vietnam's local technical team and the domestic professional team of the coatings business, it will significantly improve supply chain efficiency and flexibly respond to the growing demand in the Southeast Asian market. With the reshaping of the global supply chain, Southeast Asia has become the production center for many industrial customers. The completion of the new plant not only strongly supports the Group's long-term development goal of "basing in China, looking to ASEAN", but will also further consolidate the coatings business's leading position in the high-end plastic coatings sector.   Hang Cheung Vietnam held a grand opening ceremony at the new plant on April 22, 2026.  Guests invited to attend the ceremony included Mr. Ip Chi Shing, Tony, Chairman of Yip’s Chemical; Mr. Ip Kwan, Francis, Chief Executive Officer of Yip’s Chemical; Mr. Chan Chuen Sang, Raymond, President of Bauhinia Advanced Materials Group, a subsidiary of the Group; along with management, employees, and business partners of the coatings business.     Yip’s Chemical Announces Official Opening of New Plant for its Coatings Business in Vietnam Mr. Ip Kwan, Francis, Chief Executive Officer of Yip’s Chemical, remarked in a speech: "In the context of the current volatile and challenging global economic environment, we chose to take root in Vietnam because we firmly believe in its potential and resilience. This is not just an expansion of our production base, but an important milestone in our strategic blueprint. We will use this as a starting point to bring Yip's Chemical’s professional technology and services more directly to the Southeast Asian market. Looking ahead, this plant will become the core engine for our plastic coatings development. We will continue to leverage the Group's R&D advantages in the chemical sector, dedicating ourselves to providing high-quality, eco-friendly coating solutions for toys, electronics and various consumer goods. Through localised production, we can respond to customer needs more quickly and accurately capture opportunities in a highly unpredictable market, creating new business growth points."   Mr. Chan Chuen Sang, Raymond, President of Bauhinia Advanced Materials Group, stated in a speech: "This is not only a milestone monument in the Company's overseas journey, but it also carries our steadfast dream of deepening our roots in overseas markets and making our business bigger and stronger. It highlights our original mission to always stay close to our customers and serve them with dedication, and reflects our company's entrepreneurial spirit of daring to explore and make breakthroughs in the face of a complex and ever-changing market environment. The Vietnam plant achieved the breakthrough from conception to completion in just one year, a result that stems from the close cooperation of all parties. In the future, the market expansion, efficient operation, and localisation of the Vietnam plant will require the unity and concerted efforts of every colleague on the frontlines and in the back office. I hope everyone will always uphold our original intentions, work together with one heart and mind, face challenges head-on, seize opportunities, and together build the Vietnam plant into a benchmark for the Company's overseas business, jointly writing a wonderful answer sheet for the Company's overseas development!"     Yip’s Chemical Announces Official Opening of New Plant for its Coatings Business in Vietnam Accelerating the Pace of Development by Riding the Growth Momentum of Industrial Coatings  According to the 2025 annual results previously announced by Yip's Chemical, the Group's coatings business demonstrated strong resilience in a challenging market through product portfolio optimisation. The gross profit margin of the coatings segment increased by 3.6 percentage points to 29.8%, and the segment profit surged by 623% to HKD 52.2 million, with industrial coatings performing exceptionally well. The successful commencement of production at the new Hang Cheung Vietnam plant in the second quarter of 2026 is an important layout for the Group to realise its performance outlook, seize the growth momentum of industrial coatings, and focus resources on driving business development.   Looking ahead, Yip's Chemical will continue to be committed to building "a leading development platform for chemical businesses". The official operation of the Vietnam coatings plant will directly enhance the Group's competitiveness in the Southeast Asian market while strengthening the global operational efficiency of its Chinese headquarters. The Group will also actively seek strategic investment and merger and acquisition opportunities with technological content to accelerate its pace of development, creating more robust and long-term value for shareholders and stakeholders. — End — About Yip’s Chemical Holdings Limited (Incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability) Founded in 1971 and listed on the Main Board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK: 00408) since 1991, Yip’s Chemical has been dedicated to the chemical industry for more than half a century.  The Group’s long-term vision is to become “a leading development platform for chemical businesses” driven by green, innovative technology, professional services and highly respected brands that enrich people’s lives.   The Group’s core businesses include inks, industrial and architectural coatings, specialty resins, lubricants and chemical vapour recovery and treatment. The core businesses have established leading positions in China in their respective sectors. “Bauhinia Variegata” is the largest inks manufacturer in China; “Hang Cheung” coatings holds a leading position in China’s high-end plastic coatings segment; Bauhinia Advanced Materials Group also operates well-known brands including “Bauhinia” and “Camel” paints as well as “Da Chang” polymers; “Hercules” and “Pacoil” lubricants rank among the market leaders; “Sino-Hypro” is recognised as a leading enterprise in chemical vapour recovery and treatment in China. The Group is also a core investor in “Handsome Chemical”, the world’s largest acetate solvents producer.   Leveraging its stable shareholder structure, extensive nationwide manufacturing and sales network, and a dynamic portfolio of strong businesses, the Group has built a robust foundation in the domestic chemical industry. Going forward, the Group will drive sustainable innovation in chemical operations and accelerate the development of a more scalable and resilient platform.   Learn more about Yip’s Chemical on: www.yipschemical.com   Media and Investor Enquiries Yip’s Chemical Holdings LimitedMs. Wing So  Tel：(852) 2675 2385  Email：wing.so@yipschemical.com               Fax ：(852) 2675 2345   DLK Advisory Limited Ms. Michelle Shi   Tel: (852) 2854 8711     Email: michelleshi@dlkadvisory.com Ms. Kathleen Mui  Tel: (852) 2854 8727     Email: kathleenmui@dlkadvisory.com   File: 408_Vietnam Plant Opening_Press Release_EN_20260423 FINAL 23/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 23/04/2026 / 15:40 UTC+8 What government gazettes, rental figures, and third-party rankings reveal about the Johor mega-development in 2026 The “ghost city” label applied to Forest City Malaysia is factually outdated. Here is what the current data shows. Few labels in Southeast Asian real estate have proven as persistent—or as polarising—as the “ghost city” tag attached to Forest City, the US$100 billion mega-development rising from land in Johor, Malaysia. International media, from the BBC to viral YouTube documentaries, broadcast images of empty boulevards and unoccupied towers, cementing a narrative that has followed the project for years. Conditions have demonstrably shifted. Since the Malaysian government gazetted the Forest City Special Financial Zone (SFZ) in 2024, tying the development to the broader Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), key metrics have shifted materially. Businesses have been moving in. The city now has close to 20,000 residents. Forest City Golf Resort’s “Classic Course” has ranked in the “Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia” for seven consecutive years (2020–2026), and the “Legacy Course,” designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack Nicklaus II, ranked 49th in the “2024–2025 Asia-Pacific Top 100 Golf Courses” list. Moreover, new amenities spanning beach access, mangrove ecotours, sea fishing, and licensed firework stalls, are drawing a widening visitor base. Early coverage captured a moment. But current data, onsite observation, and independent rankings show sustained activity. This article traces how the “ghost city” label took hold, examines what has changed, and assesses what the data reveals about Forest City today. Where Did the “Ghost City” Label Come From? The label did not appear out of nowhere. It reflected real conditions at a particular point in Forest City’s project lifecycle, shaped by policy shifts, pandemic disruption, and the timing of international media coverage. 2014 to 2018: Forest City launched with a focus on Chinese mainland buyers and highly visible cross-border marketing. Construction was in its early phases, with residential towers and core amenities coming online in stages. 2018 to 2020: Then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad tightened rules on foreign property purchases, cooling Chinese demand and affecting the original sales cadence. 2020 to 2022: COVID‑19 border closures cut off key buyer and visitor markets. Occupancy remained low while construction continued. International outlets filmed during this lull, capturing a large amount of specific footage. 2023 to 2024: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim backed Forest City as part of a national SFZ strategy tied to the JSSEZ. Policy measures formalised a strategic pivot from a primarily residential development toward a mixed-use hub for financial services, family offices, and incentives for skilled professionals. This marked the turning point. The question, then, is what Forest City looks like when assessed against current data rather than footage from 2020. How is Forest City now? As of 2026, Forest City functions as an active, occupied community with verifiable resident and visitor figures. The development comprises 26,000 completed units, around 80% sold, supporting close to 20,000 residents from over 20 nationalities. Commercial activity has expanded, with over 100 retail outlets in operation spread across a 30,000 m2 shopping mall in the Finance Centre and Fisherman Wharf Commercial Street on the coast. Daily footfall is visible along the 4 km developed coastline, where operators run mangrove eco-tours and sea fishing excursions. Golf remains a major draw, with a growing number of golfers visiting Forest City’s highly acclaimed courses in recent years. Forest City Malaysia today. The development's residential towers — home to more than 15,000 residents from over 20 nationalities — are fully operational, 2 km from Singapore by straight line. Key activity metrics from 2024–2026 indicate a materially different picture from media coverage from the 2018–2022 period: Metric 2020–2022 (Media Coverage Period) 2024–2026 (Current) Residents Low occupancy during construction Around 20,000 from 20+ countries Office rental rate RM1.50/sq ft RM5.50/sq ft (+267%) Office occupancy —  59% (50,000 sq ft launched) Tourism facilities Non-operational Golf resort, hotels, mangrove tours, sea fishing, 4 km coastline, 8 km cycling path, wedding venue, water park, shopping mall, commercial street, and more International schools —  International school (in CAT Global Schools network) offering education from kindergarten to high school Tourist arrivals Near zero (COVID closures) Over 3 million tourists per year   The development once labelled a “ghost town” now reports over RM790 million in cumulative tax contributions to the Malaysian government, contributed RM53 million to Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) programmes, formed partnerships with more than 190 local enterprises, and directed over RM140 million to environmental initiatives such as mangrove and seagrass conservation. What Changed? The Special Financial Zone Effect In 2024, the Malaysian government designated Forest City as a SFZ within the JSSEZ, shifting the project from a developer-led residential project to a government-anchored economic strategy with bilateral backing. The designation set out clear incentives: 0% tax on qualifying family office investment income for an initial 10-year period, extendable by a further 10 years for eligible entities. 5% corporate tax for qualifying institutions in finance, technology, and other select industries for 20 years. 15% personal income tax for skilled knowledge workers. Minimum assets under management (AUM) of RM30 million for family office eligibility. These terms changed behaviour. On the private side, six family offices have secured approval, reporting a combined RM400 million in assets. The government’s target for the SFZ is RM2 billion in AUM by end-2026. Office leasing followed. Asking rents rose from RM1.50 to RM5.50 per sq ft, a 267% increase, and the first 50,000 sq ft of commercial space has reached 59% occupancy. These figures suggest market-driven pricing rather than promotional positioning. The bilateral context also matters. Singapore’s formal endorsement of the JSSEZ framework extends policy credibility beyond Malaysia’s domestic political cycle, positioning Forest City as a cross-border asset in the early stages of valuation normalisation. For investors accustomed to assessing sovereign risk, the joint commitment from both governments represents a meaningful de-risking signal. Who Actually Lives in Forest City Today? Demographic data as of 2026 indicates a more diverse residential base than the project’s early China-focused marketing might suggest. More than 15,000 residents from over 20 nationalities now call Forest City home, making it a mixed international community rather than a single-market enclave. Daily infrastructure has matured to support settled living. Retail and F&B outlets are equipped to serve resident and visitor needs daily, covering everything from groceries and dining to medical services and furniture. For most residents, evenings no longer require the 25-minute drive to Johor Bahru’s commercial centres. Education has also emerged as a primary draw for families. Forest City International School, established in 2018 as the Malaysia flagship campus of CATS Global Schools, is a renowned American style K12 boarding school that offers education from kindergarten through high school. Over half of teaching staff is recruited from overseas, all of them have over five years of teaching experience, and 60% have master’s or doctoral degrees. The Class of 2025 at Forest City International School has achieved outstanding results, securing admissions from 17 world-renowned institutions. These include University College London, Nanyang Technological University, the University of Hong Kong, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University, the University of Tokyo, University of the Arts London, and Savannah College of Art and Design, a metric that speaks to educational outcomes rather than enrolment marketing alone. The city’s rhythm is visible in regular festivals, sports meets, and cultural gatherings that serve both expatriate and Malaysian families. In a Channel News Asia (CNA) Insider video feature about Forest City, interviewee Nizam noted: “There were many bad reviews about Forest City. So, I think now people know and they’ve seen for themselves how the condition actually is. It’s very crowded.” Much of this consolidation follows the SFZ designation, which has translated population growth into a more settled pattern of community life. A community event at Forest City's beachfront. The development hosts more than 100 international events and tournaments annually, including the Challenge Malaysia triathlon scheduled for June 2026.   What is There Actually to Do in Forest City? Beyond policy mechanics, Forest City now operates functioning tourism and leisure infrastructure. Facilities and activities now in operation: Golf resort: The “Classic Course” has ranked in the “Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia” for seven consecutive years (2020–2026), and the “Legacy Course,” designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack Nicklaus II, was ranked 49th in the “2024–2025 Asia-Pacific Top 100 Golf Courses” list by China’s largest golf platform, Cloud Golf. Hotels: Two five-star properties, the Forest City Marina Hotel and Forest City Golf Hotel, offer full resort amenities for short stays and extended visits, supporting both leisure tourism and business travel tied to the SFZ. Mangrove tours: Guided mangrove tours operate within the adjoining 2.86 million m² green corridor, accessible via registered boat operators. The ecosystem hosts more than 400 documented plant and animal species. Recreational sea fishing is available along the waterfront and offshore. Sea fishing: Recreational sea- fishing along the waterfront and offshore for ocean lovers seeking wave-breaking fun and deep-sea adventure. Flexible two- or four-person packages with selected meals are available. Coastline: Approximately 4 km of developed beachfront includes public access, a waterfront promenade, and recreational facilities, including a dedicated wedding venue. Proximity to Singapore: Forest City sits roughly 2 km from Singapore in a straight line—approximately 40 minutes by car to Singapore’s CBD—making it comfortable for day trips and weekend visits from the city-state. Events calendar: More than 100 international events and tournaments run annually across golf, leisure, and cultural categories. The Challenge Malaysia triathlon is scheduled for June 2026, adding to a growing roster of marquee fixtures. For visitors, the most visible change is practical access to the environment. Forest City sets aside 2.86 million m² of green space, with more than 400 documented plant and animal species. It has also earned more than 40 international awards across urban planning, sustainability, and hospitality, with many of its buildings now LEED-certified. These elements shape a credible on-the-ground itinerary. Forest City Golf Resort. The Classic Course has ranked in Asia's Top 100 Golf Courses for seven consecutive years (2020–2026); the Legacy Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, placed 49th in the 2024–2025 Asia-Pacific Top 100. The resort hosts more than 100 international tournaments annually. Why is the Malaysian Government Invested in Making This Work? Forest City’s trajectory reflects an increasingly visible alignment between public policy and private capital, a convergence that has translated political rhetoric into legislative action and physical infrastructure. Institutional presence signals intent on the ground: The Malaysia Investment Facilitation Centre (IMFC) has established operations in Forest City, with more than 10 government agencies co-located there, indicating active use rather than abandonment. Reported returns to the state are quantifiable: Over RM790 million in taxes paid, 10,000 jobs created, partnerships with over 190 local enterprises, RM53 million put into CSR initiatives, and RM140 million directed towards environmental work. These figures suggest the public-private model is producing an auditable dividend. Connectivity spending is consistent with the policy stance: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is scheduled for completion in late 2026. The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail continues to progress through development phases. A sea-based LRT system proposed by the Sultan of Johor aims to alleviate chronic checkpoint congestion at the causeway. Conclusion The “ghost city” label captured a window from 2018 to 2022, when construction dominated, borders were shut, and policy cooled demand. That window has closed. For prospective visitors, day trips and weekend stays are now practical options. For prospective residents, liveability can be assessed against current infrastructure rather than dated impressions. For investors, six approved family offices operating under enacted SFZ rules represent early-stage validation of the policy framework. The 2026 picture is measurably different: a designated SFZ with enacted legislation, institutional tenants in place, office space leasing at market rates, close to 20,000 residents across 26,000 completed homes, and a tourism and events ecosystem built around highly acclaimed golf courses and 4 km of developed coastline. The evidence is on the record. Government gazettes, third-party rankings, tax remittance data, occupancy figures, and current on-the-ground conditions offer a more complete picture than media footage from the construction phase. For stakeholders navigating Southeast Asian investment opportunities, or the Johor-Singapore corridor more specifically, the gap between the “ghost city” legacy and 2026’s fiscal reality is now empirically vast. While SFZ benchmarks and rising lease yields provide a valid analytical foundation, a site visit remains the ultimate form of due diligence. Seeing the city’s current operations firsthand is the best way to reconcile past headlines with the SFZ’s tangible economic momentum. 23/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 22/04/2026 / 17:40 UTC+8 [Hong Kong – 22 April 2026] Newborn Town Inc. (Newborn Town or the company, stock code: 09911.HK), a leading global social entertainment company, released its unaudited operating data for the first quarter of 2026.   For the three months ended 31 March 2026, the company’s total revenue is estimated to reach RMB 2,030 million to RMB 2,130 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of approximately 33.0% to 39.6%. Revenue from social networking business amounted to approximately RMB 1,785 million to RMB 1,865 million, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 31.3% to 37.2%.   Revenue from innovative business recorded approximately RMB 245 million to RMB 265 million, representing a year-on-year growth of approximately 46.7% to 58.7%, maintaining strong growth momentum.   Social Networking Business Deepened Its Competitive Moat as Flagship Products Continue to Strengthen Market Leadership   According to the announcement, the steady growth of social networking business revenue was driven by the company’s continued global expansion and the deep integration of AI across the entire business chain, supporting the sustained growth of its flagship products.   In the first quarter of 2026, the company continued to advance its successful strategy of replicating its product operations and market expansion experiences, further strengthening its leadership in core markets such as the MENA region and Southeast Asia, while using flagship products as strategic pioneers to accelerate expansion into high-growth and high-value markets including Latin America, Europe, Japan, and South Korea, further enhancing its global social entertainment footprint.   In 2026, the Company’s flagship products continued to deliver strong performance. The game-oriented social platform TopTop further improved its market position across GCC countries. According to data from Sensor Tower, in Q1, TopTop ranked 6th in the social apps category on the App Store's revenue rankings for the Middle East.   In new markets, TopTop continued to expand its footprint. TopTop made solid progress in high-value markets such as Japan and Europe, ranking among the Top 10 free casual games on the Japanese App Store multiple times during the first quarter.   Meanwhile, TopTop continues to leverage its UGC-driven ecosystem to expand into developed markets. It has grown into a widely adopted app in GCC markets such as Saudi Arabia and ranks among the leading products in its category globally.   The company’s diverse-audience social networking business (LGBTQ) also maintained steady growth. HeeSay, the company’s global community platform for diverse audiences, further strengthened its presence in Southeast Asia, consistently ranking among the Top 10 grossing social apps on the App Store in countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines.   A research report by Huaxi Securities noted that social networking and gaming apps continue to outperform across downloads, user engagement, and monetization. With its expanding global footprint, Newborn Town is well positioned to continue benefiting from these long-term industry trends, further reinforcing the certainty of its long-term growth trajectory.   Innovative Business Gained Strong Momentum, with AI Driving Rapid Revenue Growth   The company’s innovative business also demonstrated strong growth momentum in the first quarter of 2026. According to the announcement, the growth in revenue from the innovative business segment was driven by the rapid expansion of the short drama business, supported by AI-powered content production and operations.   During the period, the company’s short drama business progressed steadily across multiple overseas markets including Europe and North America, validating its full-chain capabilities in content creation and blockbuster content incubation. Building on this foundation, Newborn Town is actively expanding into AI short dramas, leveraging AI technology to amplify content production, diversify genres, and optimize production costs, positioning short drama as a new growth engine for the innovative business.   Recently, the Company’s short-form drama business was officially integrated with Seedance 2.0, becoming one of its first partner platforms. At the same time, through joint operations with platforms such as TikTok, the global reach of its short-form content has continued to expand. According to TikTok’s first-quarter revenue-sharing report for short dramas, one of the Company’s hit titles ranked No. 2 on the platform by first-month revenue.   In recent years, the company has continued to deepen the application of AI technologies across core business scenarios, comprehensively empowering R&D, operations, and commercialization efficiency. Its self-developed multimodal algorithm model, Boomiix, continues to upgrade, improving the accuracy of social matching and the intelligence of operations.   The company’s Siyu AI, an internal data intelligence platform, significantly shortened turnaround times for data queries, anomaly analysis, and report generation. Its proprietary AI-powered design platform KIVI has also greatly enhanced both the efficiency and diversity of content production, including virtual gifts and marketing creatives. In addition, the company continued to expand into consumer-facing AI applications by launching Aippy, exploring new ways to create emotional value through AI. To date, Aippy has surpassed 2 million cumulative downloads. Beyond this, the Company has launched NUSD Pay, an AI agent-based payment solution, which has completed core system development and entered the commercialization stage.   The company announced to allocate approximately HK$ 300 million over the next two years for share repurchases, which may be used for the company’s employee equity incentive plans or cancellation in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and listing rules. The Board believes that implementing share repurchases under the current circumstances reflects confidence in the company’s long-term business outlook and will ultimately benefit the company while creating value for shareholders.   On 6 March, Newborn Town was officially included in the list of eligible securities under the Stock Connect, broadening access for mainland investors. Since its inclusion, the company has seen significantly stronger market attention and trading activity. As of April 21, its average daily trading value exceeded HKD 180 million, approximately doubling compared to the three months prior to inclusion. Following its inclusion in Stock Connect, the Company’s shareholder base has continued to diversify, while its market presence has further strengthened, providing solid support for its long-term growth.       About Newborn Town  Newborn Town has grown into a leading technology company which was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) in 2019 under the stock code 9911.Committed to creating positive emotional value worldwide, Newborn Town has developed a diverse portfolio of applications in the social networking and entertainment sectors. Its social apps include MICO, YoHo, TopTop, SUGO and HeeSay, together with gaming products like Alice's Dream: Merge Games. These applications have achieved widespread acclaim, reaching over one billion users in over one hundred countries and regions.Newborn Town considers the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region a key market and has also extended its influence in Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea. The company aims to become the world's largest social entertainment company.      For enquiries, please contact  DLK Advisory   pr@dlkadvisory.com      22/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 22/04/2026 / 17:17 UTC+8 (Hong Kong – 22 April 2026) Trio Industrial Electronics Group Limited (“Trio Industrial” or the “Group”; stock code: 1710), a leading manufacturer and distributor of advanced industrial electronic components and products in Hong Kong, today announced its subsidiary, Trio New Energy (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. (“Trio New Energy”) and China Civil Group (Thailand) Limited (“China Civil Thailand”) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) in Thailand to establish a strategic collaboration framework for developing new energy projects in the Thai market. As Thailand accelerates its energy transition and transportation electrification, demand for green power, distributed energy storage and clean mobility solutions continues to grow. Trio New Energy brings strong capabilities in integrated new energy solutions and product manufacturing, while China Civil Thailand has an extensive track record and project pipeline in local green infrastructure and green industrial park development. The Parties will combine their respective strengths as soon as possible, capture the new energy opportunities in Thailand and surrounding countries. According to the MOU, the Parties are currently engaged in commercial discussions on new energy projects in Thailand, with a primary cooperation model of leveraging their combined quality resources to jointly develop the local new energy industry.   Mr. Cecil Wong, the Chairman of Trio Industrial Electronics Group Limited said, “China Civil Group (Thailand) has deep experience and strong execution capabilities in infrastructure and park development across Thailand, with an extensive portfolio of high-quality projects. Through this MOU, we aim to combine Trio New Energy’s expertise in integrated source-grid-load-storage solutions, new energy product development and localized manufacturing with China Civil Thailand’s project resources and local operating strengths. Together, we seek to develop flagship projects in green parks, green mobility and comprehensive energy solutions that can serve as showcases for Thailand’s low-carbon transition. Looking ahead, Trio New Energy will advance pilot and benchmark projects in a pragmatic and step-by-step manner to create long-term and sustainable value for both parties.” Mr. Bin Zheng, Spokesperson of China Civil Group (Thailand) Limited mentioned, “Trio New Energy brings proven technology and manufacturing capabilities in the new energy sector, enabling competitive green energy and e-mobility solutions tailored to the Thai market. The signing of this MOU marks an important starting point for our collaboration on new energy projects in Thailand. We look forward to working closely with Trio New Energy to achieve early breakthroughs in our three initial focus areas –  green industrial park , green campuses and new energy support for benchmark transportation hubs. Over time, we hope to build scalable and replicable cooperation models in Thailand and explore broader collaboration opportunities along the ‘Belt and Road’ markets.”   - End -   About Trio Industrial Electronics Group Limited (Stock Code: 1710.HK) Trio Group is a leading Hong Kong-based manufacturer and supplier of advanced industrial electronic components and products, with over 40 years of industry expertise. Specialising in power supply solutions, the group serves key sectors such as energy efficiency and medical electronics. As the first Hong Kong electronics supplier to achieve Industry 4.0 maturity certificate - industry 4.0 1i level. Trio Group integrates smart manufacturing and innovative technologies to deliver high-performance solutions, earning a strong reputation as a trusted partner for numerous globally recognised brands, primarily in Europe and North America. In response to the growing emphasis on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles and the urgent demand for decarbonisation, Trio Group is strategically expanding into the renewable energy sector through its proprietary brand, Deltrix. The company is actively developing solutions in: EV charging infrastructure Solar energy storage systems Smart power management Charging network deployment   With a focus on Central Asia and Southeast Asia, Trio Group is committed to advancing green technology innovation, positioning itself as a key player in the global energy transition while driving sustainable business growth. By leveraging its technical expertise and forward-looking strategies, the group continues to reinforce its role in shaping a low-carbon future. This press release is issued by DLK Advisory Limited on behalf of Trio Industrial Electronics Group Limited.    For further information, please contact: DLK Advisory 金通策略   Email: pr@dlkadvisory.com Tel: +852 2857 7101   22/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 17/04/2026 / 11:00 UTC+8 Hong Kong - April 17, 2026 - EQS Asia today shared how its EQS via SeaPRwire.com service helps companies send corporate news to media and key audiences in other countries. As more companies grow into overseas markets, their communications teams need to work with different media, audiences, and channels in each region. Companies that communicate across borders often face these challenges: • Getting noticed by media in new and unfamiliar markets. • Making sure news reaches the right investors, media, partners, and decision-makers. • Adapting content for local languages and market needs. To address these challenges, EQS Asia offers EQS via SeaPRwire.com — a service that helps companies send announcements or news to international financial and business media, as well as professional information platforms. It delivers corporate news through the channels that international financial and business audiences use most. 1. International Media Distribution EQS via SeaPRwire.com sends news to major international financial and business media, including the Financial Times and Reuters. This helps companies build trust and raise awareness for their news in overseas markets. 2. Financial Information Platform Access News can also appear on professional platforms such as Bloomberg, Dow Jones, and Refinitiv Eikon. This puts company news in front of fund managers, analysts, traders, and other professionals who use these systems daily. 3. Multi-Market Coverage and Localized Distribution The service covers major global markets including Europe, North America, Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Companies can choose to send news to a specific region or a single country and can also distribute in local languages to reach audiences more effectively. EQS Asia believes this service helps companies communicate more effectively across borders and become more visible in international markets.   About EQS via SeaPRwire.com At EQS via SeaPRwire.com, we believe that integrity and transparency drive long-term business success. From compliance management and whistleblowing systems to ESG reporting, data privacy workflows, AI governance, and investor communications – our solutions simplify complexity and support companies in building a culture of accountability and transparency. Over 14,000 organizations across 80 countries rely on our technology and expertise to manage risk, build trust, and demonstrate compliance with confidence. Media Contact: Email: intersales.hk@eqs.com Website: https://www.eqs.com/zh-hans/ir-services/newswire/   17/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 16/04/2026 / 15:38 UTC+8 In a world where geopolitical risk reshapes capital flows overnight, Southeast Asia offers something increasingly rare: a combination of growth and stability backed by ongoing cooperation. At the region’s southern corridor, Forest City SFZ marks where that vision gets built into infrastructure. 28 February 2026 marked the beginning of one of the most severe Middle Eastern conflict escalations in years, with far-reaching humanitarian and economic consequences. US-Israel airstrikes on Iranian cities killed the Supreme Leader Khamenei and top officials, prompting Iran to retaliate with missiles and drones against Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases. The human cost was immediate. The financial aftershocks soon followed. Dubai International Airport temporarily closed, its runways still and hallways silent. For capital that had long treated the Gulf as sanctuary, the quiet said everything as confidence in the region’s stability wavered. It was scenarios like this, disruption to established wealth corridors and the need for stability, that policymakers in Southeast Asia may have considered when designing alternative infrastructure for global capital. Chief among these initiatives is the Forest City Special Financial Zone (SFZ), a government-gazetted financial district launched on 20 September 2024 within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), offering qualifying entities preferential tax rates: 0% on family office investment income (10-year exemption, extendable by a further 10 years subject to conditions), 5% corporate income tax for qualifying institutions in finance and technology, and 15% personal income tax for skilled knowledge workers. Endorsed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and located approximately 2 km from Singapore, the SFZ is positioned as a capital-efficient base for wealth management structures seeking a proven Southeast Asian jurisdiction. As of late 2025, six single family offices have been formally approved under the SFZ framework with total assets under management (AUM) reaching RM400 million, surpassing the authority’s initial estimates. With more than 30 expressions of interest received, the government’s target for the SFZ has been set at RM2 billion in AUM by the end of 2026, reflecting strong market interest.   As CNBC noted on Inside Wealth, “The Iran war has shaken Dubai’s status as a global wealth hub, as legions of expatriates scramble to escape and family offices and wealth managers reconsider their Middle East footprint.” Bloomberg News also reported that “Many of Asia’s richest families are reconsidering their exposure to Dubai as the Iran war rattles the city that has attracted billions from across the region in recent years.” Southeast Asia has long attracted capital seeking Asian growth. Today, it offers something increasingly valuable: harmony, stability, and, as it always has, an environment that invites collaboration. But for family office principals and their advisors, the question is more specific: where will capital flow next when traditional hubs face unprecedented geopolitical risk?   What is Malaysia’s Forest City Special Financial Zone? Malaysia’s Forest City SFZ is the Malaysian government’s answer to that question, and to Singapore’s capacity constraints. Launched in September 2024, the SFZ offers a regulatory framework explicitly designed to complement Singapore’s ecosystem while providing distinct cost and tax advantages for qualifying single family offices and financial institutions. The February 2026 shock has accelerated a trajectory already underway. For years, capital with Gulf exposure, whether Middle Eastern in origin or internationally deployed through regional hubs, has been diversifying into Southeast Asia. Singapore stands as the primary beneficiary. By mid-2025, the city-state hosted 2,720 single family offices. The growth reflects deliberate policy: Singapore’s Variable Capital Company (VCC) framework, Global Investor Programme (GIP), 13O/13U tax incentives, and generally robust regulatory environment have made it the default Southeast Asian jurisdiction for sophisticated wealth structures. Reuters reported in March that, according to industry advisers and lawyers, there has been a major increase in clients “making enquiries or taking similar steps to move their Dubai-parked assets to the regional financial hubs of Singapore and Hong Kong.” Yet Singapore’s family office boom, while validating the regional thesis, has also created capacity constraints that benefit neighbouring jurisdictions. The numbers say it all: 2,720 or more family offices competing for talent, service providers, and premium office space in a 710 km² city-state generates upward pressure on costs. This creates natural overflow demand: family offices seeking Southeast Asian jurisdiction benefits without Singapore’s cost structure, or those requiring a secondary location for operational resilience. The question is whether alternative jurisdictions can meet the governance, regulatory, and connectivity standards that institutional capital requires.   Malaysia and the Johor-Singapore Corridor: From Competition to Complementarity The answer may lie not in competing with Singapore, but in extending its promise northward, across water and into wider ground. Lower costs, greater flexibility, and proximity close enough to leverage Singapore’s infrastructure without bearing its overhead. For decades, the economic relationship between Singapore and Malaysia’s southernmost state, Johor, was defined largely by asymmetry: Singaporean capital and tourists flowing north, Malaysian workers commuting south. But over the past two years, both governments have moved from broad aspirations toward concrete policy frameworks designed to facilitate cross-border economic integration. Infrastructure to support deeper integration is already taking shape. The centrepiece of this shift is the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), a bilateral framework formally signed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on 7 January 2025. The agreement establishes a coordinated approach to cross-border investment, labour mobility, and infrastructure development across the causeway. At The Edge-HSBC Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone Forum 2025, Datuk Omar Siddiq, CEO of HSBC Malaysia, observed that “the JSSEZ will help move Malaysia up the value chain” with considerable interest from Malaysia and Singapore businesses. More broadly, in April, the World Bank lifted Malaysia’s growth outlook to 4.4% despite global headwinds, citing relatively resilient macroeconomic fundamentals. Within this broader framework sits the more targeted instrument: the Special Financial Zone (SFZ), located on Forest City island at Johor’s southern tip. The SFZ represents Malaysia’s bid to capture a share of the region’s mobile wealth, offering single family offices, asset managers, and financial institutions a regulatory and tax environment distinct from the rest of the nation. More importantly, it shows that political commitment to the zone has led to enacted laws and completed infrastructure. Forest City’s residential precincts, transport links, and commercial amenities are already operational.   The Tax Proposition: A Comparative Analysis The SFZ’s value proposition is clear, with a 0% tax on qualifying investment income for an initial ten years, extendable to twenty. This matches the headline rate offered by Singapore’s 13O/13U schemes and Hong Kong’s family office concessions, but with a critical difference in accessibility: a minimum requirement of only RM30 million in AUM versus Singapore’s S$20 million and Hong Kong’s HK$240 million.   Jurisdiction Family Office Tax on Investment Income Corporate Tax (Standard) Minimum AUM SFO Count Forest City SFZ (Malaysia) 0% (10yr + extendable 10yr) 5% (approved entities) RM30M (~US$7.5M) 6 approved Singapore 0% (13O/13U schemes) 17% S$20M (~US$15M) 2,720 (H1 2025) Hong Kong 0% 16.5% HK$240M (~US$30M) 3,380+ (year-end 2025)   For mid-market single family offices, next-generation wealth holders, and first-generation entrepreneurs formalizing multi-generational structures, Forest City eliminates the capital barrier that put Singapore and Hong Kong’s regimes out of reach. Furthermore, Singapore mandates that family offices employ at least one non-family investment professional, a compliance layer that introduces external parties into what some might prefer to keep in the family. Forest City imposes no such requirement. The logic is straightforward. Singapore as the operational hub, Forest City SFZ as the holding structure. This pairing echoes established global models. Dublin and London. Luxembourg and Frankfurt. Cayman and New York. Each combines operational depth with structural efficiency. Forest City-Singapore is the Southeast Asian version but only 2 km apart. Geographic reality makes this practical. Forest City lies approximately 40 minutes by car from Singapore’s CBD and 60 minutes from Changi Airport. The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, scheduled for completion in December 2026, will connect Woodlands to Bukit Chagar in five minutes, with capacity for 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction. This removes the last friction point from the dual-location model. Professionals will be able to operate across both jurisdictions on a day-to-day basis.  Map showing Forest City SFZ located approximately 2 km from Singapore, within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ).   How Do I Set Up a Family Office in Forest City?  As of early 2026, six family offices have received formal approval to operate within the SFZ, with declared assets under management totalling RM400 million. Office rents in the zone have surged 267% from their pre-launch baseline, while occupancy has reached 59%. Beyond the zone itself, the broader JSSEZ framework is generating capital formation at scale: Johor attracted RM91 billion in approved investments in the first nine months of 2025. These are metrics that distinguish this from dormant special zones elsewhere in the region. The numbers, however, tell only part of the story. What matters equally is the structure of access. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), under guidelines updated on 9 October 2025, provides the authoritative framework for SFZ entry. Qualifying entities include single family offices, fund management companies, financial advisory firms, fintech companies (with Market Development status), and approved financial institutions. Entry points are calibrated to different profiles: Family office principals: 0% tax on qualifying investment income for 10 years (extendable to 20); RM30 million minimum AUM. The SFZ-track Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme provides a structured long-stay residency pathway from RM500,000, with streamlined processing for qualifying principals. Singapore’s airport, healthcare facilities, and international schools remain within 45 minutes. Financial professionals: A 15% personal income tax rate, legislated for up to 15 years, applies to approved skilled workers within SFZ-registered entities. This covers fund managers, financial analysts, and compliance roles. JSSEZ-focused investors: The SFZ is one node within the broader Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, a bilateral framework with implications for real estate, infrastructure, and cross-border commerce beyond the financial sector. The framework, in short, is built for optionality. Principals seeking tax efficiency, professionals seeking career mobility, and investors seeking exposure to the broader JSSEZ corridor. For establishing a single family office in particular, the steps are clearly laid out: Confirm eligibility and required documentation based on the official Guidelines on Single Family Office Incentive Scheme, then arrange a pre-application consultation to discuss structure, asset composition, local investment strategy, and related issues. After consultation (or in parallel), establish the family office in line with key operational requirements, such as opening a bank account with a licensed institution in Malaysia. Prepare and submit documentation in line with SC requirements, including but not limited to corporate structure, official business documents, AUM breakdown, plan for hiring and expenses, and proof of local commitments. After receiving a certification from the SC, attach the certification letter together with an income tax return form and submit it to the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia. Maintain and complete annual certification processes to confirm ongoing compliance with the scheme requirements. More details can be found on the official SC website.   A Sanctuary Built on Stability and Cooperation Forest City’s proposition ultimately rests on a simple premise. Capital flows toward stability and collaboration. The SFZ is Malaysia’s bet that this stability, combined with competitive incentives and proximity to Singapore, can attract a meaningful share of mobile global wealth. Early validation is there, the infrastructure is being built, and for investors conducting due diligence, official SFZ and SC documentation is publicly accessible. What remains to be seen is whether execution will match the long-term vision. But in an era of renewed great power competition, regional conflicts, and institutional fragmentation, Forest City offers access to a corner of the world that has chosen a different path—a rare combination of harmonious stability and quiet ambition. For capital seeking not just returns, but resilience, that may prove to be the most durable one.   16/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 15/04/2026 / 16:31 UTC+8 New York, NY - April 15, 2026 - (SeaPRwire) - Automated Health Systems partners with governments to administer public health programs, guided by President Dr. Moses Haregewoyn's extensive business acumen, leadership, technical systems, and service ethos, aiming to make enrollment and access smoother for all underserved residents while supporting agencies facing complex coverage demands. As trusted partners , we elevate public service by empowering government agencies with advanced technology , infrastructure, and human-centric operational support. AHS is a national health services management and works with state and local governments to help residents access public health programs, especially those serving low-income families and underserved communities. Its president, Dr. Moses Haregewoyn, has described his leadership as influenced through years of professional experience and guided by faith-informed values that influence the organization's direction. In a press statement, AHS emphasized his incredible works in public health administration and highlighted Dr. Haregewoyn's book Leadership: An Incumbent of Faith, which addresses his belief in necessary leadership as an assignment rooted in faith and moral responsibility while also driving forward the needs of any business model for the success of that agency's singular vision - a theme that mirrors how he speaks about decisions that affect vulnerable populations. Company descriptions portray Dr. Haregewoyn as engaged in projects from procurement through day-to-day operations, accessible to both clients and staff. That presence has accompanied AHS's expansion from hundreds of employees to several thousand professionals working across multiple states on public health systems and other public health efforts. The company reports that structured systems, internal technical teams, and established platforms help manage eligibility, communication, and reporting while giving residents clearer information about their options. Present and future focused, AHS positions itself as a competitive leading support organization within the public health system, managing the administrative side of programs so that agencies can reach more people with fewer obstacles. Statements from and about the company suggest that future work will continue to balance contractual and advancing technological demands with values of service, mercy, and responsibility, reflecting a belief that overall comprehensive leadership can shape how large systems respond to those who rely on public coverage.About Automated Health Systems Automated Health Systems is a specific company, primarily known for government health program administration across all 50 states , with varying revenue estimated at $1.3 Billion annually. Through state of the art and emerging technologies, internal & online digital tools, personalized attention support, and education, AHS helps agencies serve more people with clear and effective healthcare programs. Contact Information Brand: Automated Health Systems Contact: Media team Email: mosesh@automated-health.com Website: https://www.automated-health.com 15/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 14/04/2026 / 16:00 UTC+8 (14 April 2026, Hong Kong) One year ago, Waton Financial (NASDAQ: WTF) made its debut on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange with a clear mission: to bridge the gap between AI innovation and regulated financial infrastructure. Today, as the company celebrates its first anniversary as a listed entity, it announces MOTA—Manager of Trading Agents—a platform that represents a new paradigm in human-AI investment collaboration.   Building Infrastructure First While the AI trading space has been dominated by platforms racing to launch AI features, Waton Financial took a different path. Instead of prioritizing speed to market, the company spent its first year building what matters most in financial services: regulated infrastructure. "We made a deliberate choice to build the foundation before the features," said the company in a statement. "Embedded compliance and transparent audit trails—these aren't optional add-ons. They're the foundation that makes sustainable AI-assisted trading possible." This infrastructure-first approach has positioned Waton Financial uniquely in a market where most AI trading platforms operate in regulatory gray zones. As an AI agents holding company, Waton Financial is building the ecosystem that enables sustainable, compliant AI-assisted trading. As global regulators increasingly scrutinize AI-driven financial services, companies building on solid infrastructure are poised to lead the next phase of industry evolution.   Introducing MOTA: Manager of Trading Agents MOTA represents the culmination of Waton Financial's first year of work—a trading agent orchestration platform built on the company's regulated infrastructure. Unlike conventional AI trading tools that promise to "beat the market for you," MOTA is designed around a fundamental principle: AI suggests, you decide. Key features of MOTA include: •Multi-Agent Orchestration: Multiple specialized AI agents work together—each focusing on sentiment analysis, technical signals, fundamental research, or execution optimization—while human investors maintain oversight of the entire system. •Human-in-the-Loop Architecture: Every trading decision flows through human judgment. MOTA aggregates signals, provides analysis, and offers recommendations, but the investor makes the final call. •Built on Solid Infrastructure: Operating with embedded compliance, audit trails, and risk controls—accountability is not an afterthought. •Professional-Grade Tools: Designed for professional investors with actual trading experience, not retail users seeking easy returns.   The Missing Conversation in AI Trading The AI trading industry has been built on a curious omission. Platforms tout model accuracy, backtest results, and alpha generation—but rarely discuss licensing, compliance frameworks, or accountability. "When was the last time you asked if your AI trading platform is licensed?" the company asks. "We all want to know the Sharpe ratio and win rate. But questions about regulatory framework and audit trails? Those conversations are conspicuously absent." MOTA is designed to change that conversation. By building on solid infrastructure from day one, the platform offers what most AI trading tools cannot: transparency, accountability, and a clear answer to the question of who is responsible when AI makes a recommendation.   Navigating the Evolving Regulatory Landscape The timing of MOTA's development aligns with significant shifts in global AI regulation: •United States: The SEC is increasing scrutiny on AI-driven trading decisions, with compliance costs rising for platforms operating without clear regulatory frameworks. •Europe: MiFID II requirements now mandate explainability for AI decisions in financial services, creating challenges for black-box trading systems. •Asia: Hong Kong and Singapore are proactively building AI finance regulatory frameworks, with sandbox programs for compliant tools. "The easy money era for AI trading platforms is ending," observed industry analysts. "Companies building on solid infrastructure will have a significant head start. Everyone else will be playing catchup with regulators."   What MOTA Is—and Isn't In a market saturated with "AI will make you rich" promises, Waton Financial is taking a different approach with clear positioning: MOTA IS: •An orchestration platform for multiple AI trading agents •A human-in-the-loop system where AI augments rather than replaces human judgment •Built with embedded compliance and transparent audit trails •Designed for professional investors with trading experience MOTA IS NOT: •An "AI beats the market for you" tool •A replacement for human judgment and expertise •A retail trading app for beginners •An unregulated experiment in AI trading   Looking Ahead MOTA is scheduled for launch in June 2026. As Waton Financial enters its second year as a listed company, the platform represents not just a product launch but a statement about how AI and finance should intersect. "We're not claiming to have solved everything," the company noted. "But we're asking the right questions: What happens when AI makes a bad recommendation? Who's accountable? Can you audit the decision trail? These aren't philosophical questions—they're the foundation of sustainable AI-assisted trading." The boring stuff matters. Especially in finance. And that's exactly where Waton Financial is placing its bet.   About Waton Financial Waton Financial (NASDAQ: WTF) is an AI agents holding company specializing in developing and orchestrating AI-powered trading solutions. Listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in April 2025, the company is building the ecosystem for sustainable AI-assisted investing, serving professional investors across global markets.   Media Contact: Email: ir@watonfinancial.com Website: www.watonfinancial.com   Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. This is not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. 14/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 13/04/2026 / 09:53 UTC+8 SOFIA, BULGARIA - April 13, 2026 - (SeaPRwire) - nFuse, an AI-powered B2B ordering platform, founded jointly with Appolica, has recently raised an investment from two of Central and Eastern Europe's most active venture funds Eleven Ventures and LAUNCHub to accelerate expansion across Europe, the US, and emerging markets. The investment comes as rising energy costs continue to pressure physical touchpoints across the CPG distribution chain. nFuse replaces traditional B2B ordering apps with everyday messaging channels, enabling retailers to place orders via SMS, WhatsApp, and other messaging platforms without additional apps or logins, while helping sales teams and operators reclaim time for higher-value activities. The company reports retailer adoption rates exceeding 70%, compared to an industry average of approximately 15%. The funding arrives at a critical inflection point for the CPG industry. Energy costs and oil supply disruptions now ripple through up to a third of the CPG value chain - hitting manufacturing, packaging, warehousing, and last-mile distribution simultaneously. At the same time, CPG companies face pressure from the other direction: weakening consumer confidence and declining disposable incomes are compressing top-line growth across key markets. Caught between rising operational costs and slowing revenue, the industry can no longer afford to run its most basic commercial process - reordering - the human effort-led way. The $5 Trillion Channel That Digital Solutions Keep Failing Fragmented trade - the network of independent shops, kiosks, restaurants, and HoReCa operators that dominate commerce across emerging markets - represents over $5 trillion in annual value. In regions such as CESEE, Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, these outlets account for the majority of FMCG sales. For CPG companies already navigating margin compression, this channel is both the largest growth opportunity and the most expensive to serve through traditional means. Despite more than a decade of investment in B2B eCommerce platforms, adoption in fragmented trade hovers around 15%. Industry analysts estimate 80–95% of B2B eCommerce projects underperform or fail outright. The platforms work technically. The retailers ignore them. "The fundamental assumption was wrong. The industry built eB2B for headquarters - for the people who wanted dashboards and data. Not for the retailer standing behind a counter who just needs to reorder beer before the weekend rush." -Stoyan Ivanov, Co-Founder and CEO, nFuse The Fix: Meet Retailers Where They Already Are nFuse was founded on a different observation. Across all markets, small retailers are already running their businesses through messaging apps - sending voice notes, photos of empty shelves, and handwritten lists via SMS, WhatsApp, or whatever app they use daily. nFuse turns that existing behavior into a confirmed order in seconds. No new app. No login. No training required. The results are materially different from what traditional platforms deliver: 70%+ retailer adoption with enterprise clients, versus an industry average of 10–15%. Revenue per outlet increases 15–30%. Deployment takes a month, not a year. Cost per order targets below $1 - a 5x to 20x reduction compared to traditional rep-based or call center ordering. For CPG brands under margin pressure, that cost delta is no longer just an efficiency gain. It is a route to profitability on outlets that were previously too expensive to serve. For brands managing distribution at scale, the model also changes the economics of reaching the long tail. Retailers who previously reordered monthly - when a sales rep happened to visit - now reorder weekly. New SKU launches reach outlets faster. And with every transaction flowing through a single channel, real-time demand signals become available across the entire network. "These retailers aren't technology-averse. They're using technology constantly. Just not the technology we kept trying to give them. They don't want another app. They want to order the same way they message their family." - Stefan Radov, Co-Founder and COO, nFuse Investor Perspective "Stoyan and Stefan know the FMCG industry inside out and have set out an ambitious task to solve the broken model of B2B e-commerce solutions. Instead of asking retailers to change their behaviour, the advancements in AI has opened a new frontier of intelligent solutions that speak their language via the channels they usually use. This unlocks enormous opportunities for brands, as the tail of the market can now be served efficiently and at scale." - Ivaylo Simov, Partner, Eleven Ventures "The B2B eCommerce graveyard is full of platforms that worked technically but failed commercially. Most portals force unnatural behavior - buyers do not want to click through SKUs and quantities. nFuse makes ordering natural again via voice, text, or image, just like speaking or texting to a sales rep. With 30 years in distribution, the founders have seen exactly where adoption fails. We backed the insight as much as the product." - Rumen Iliev, Partner, LAUNCHub Ventures What Comes Next The funding will support nFuse's expansion across Europe, with plans extending into broader EMEA and Americas markets. The company currently serves category leaders in beverages, beer, snacks, frozen food, modern nicotine, dairy, pet food, and wholesale distribution, validating the model across FMCG verticals. Beyond ordering, nFuse is building toward payments and predictive demand intelligence - letting retailers pay through the same messaging thread where they place orders, and using aggregated shelf data to generate real-time supply signals for brands. "The industry spent a decade trying to get retailers to come to us. We're just going to where they already are." - Stoyan Ivanov, Co-Founder and CEO, nFuse About nFuse nFuse is an AI-powered B2B ordering platform that enables FMCG retailers and HoReCa operators to place orders and enable two-way conversational commerce through SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp, and other messaging apps using text, voice, or images. Founded by ex-Coca-Cola executives Stoyan Ivanov and Stefan Radov - with 30+ years of combined distribution experience - the company partners with leading FMCG production and distribution enterprises across Europe and emerging markets. nFuse is backed by Eleven Ventures and LAUNCHub, and was co-founded with Appolica. Media Contact Company: nFuse Contact: Stoyan Ivanov, Co-Founder and CEO Telephone: +44 7735 302755 Email: stoyan.ivanov@nfuse.ai Website: https://nfuse.ai/ 13/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 13/04/2026 / 09:44 UTC+8 As China's daily Token consumption surpasses 140 trillion, OpenAI processes 15 billion Tokens per minute. China's Token usage grows 1,400-fold in just two years—Token, a technical term still unfamiliar two years ago, is becoming the new "kilowatt-hour" of the AI era.   On April 12, Shenzhen Xunce Technology Co., Ltd. (3317. HK) signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Shenzhen Data Exchange. At the inflection point where the Token economy is moving from concept to explosion, the signing of this agreement sends a clear signal: China's AI industry is shifting from a "model race" to a "data race", from "general-purpose Tokens" to "vertical Token refining."   Xunce Technology is becoming the core "Vertical Token Factory" in this historic process.   Token Economics: Why is Token the "Oil" of the AI Era?   To understand the significance of this partnership, one must first understand what a Token is. A Token is the basic unit of information processed and generated by AI. You ask AI a question, consuming some Tokens; AI gives you an answer, generating some Tokens. One Token roughly corresponds to one or two Chinese characters. But the significance of Token goes far beyond being a mere "unit of measurement" ——it transforms AI into an economic resource that can be priced, traded, and even futures-traded, just as the "kilowatt-hour" gave electricity a price and the "barrel" gave oil a futures market. Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, deconstructed the AI industry into a "five-layer cake": energy, chips, infrastructure, models, and applications. The unified unit of measurement in all five layers is the Token. Huang's definition: Token is the fundamental unit of modern AI, and the language and currency of AI. Tokens are undergoing value stratification. The same Token used for casual chat is worth $0.01 per million; used for coding, it's worth $200; used for legal document review, it's worth $1,000—a difference of a hundred thousand times in value. Less than 5% of Token consumption creates over 80% of measurable value. The value of a Token is not determined by its production cost, but by what it is used for. This is the core logic of vertical Tokens. Token Supply-Demand Imbalance: General Tokens in Surplus, Vertical Tokens Scarce   In March 2026, Liu Liehong, Director of the National Data Administration, officially named the Token Ciyuan and disclosed a set of data: China's daily Ciyuan call volume has exceeded 140 trillion, an increase of over 1,400 times compared to 100 billion in early 2024. Nationwide, over 100,000 high-quality datasets have been established, with a total volume exceeding 890 PB—equivalent to about 310 times the total digital resources of the National Library of China.   At the same time, global Token demand is undergoing a structural inflection point: shifting from humans using AI to AI using AI by itself. The emergence of Agents has completely changed the rules of the game—it is not a chatbot, but an AI program capable of autonomously executing tasks.   If an enterprise deploys 1,000 Agents, each consuming 1 million Tokens per day, that amounts to 365 billion Tokens per year, equivalent to the total consumption of all human users in a medium-sized country. Agents don't just consume Tokens; there are already experimental projects where Agents have their own accounts, autonomously take on tasks, earn income, and then use that income to purchase more Tokens.   The next surge in Token demand will no longer come from humans using more, but from machines starting to consume on their own.   But a deep contradiction is emerging: general Tokens are experiencing inflation, while vertical Tokens are severely scarce. Large language models can converse fluently, but once they enter vertical scenarios such as financial risk control, medical diagnosis, power dispatch, or robot control, general Tokens fall short.   What enterprises truly need are vertical Tokens refined through industry knowledge. The insufficient supply of high-quality vertical data has become the core bottleneck restricting the implementation of vertical large models.   Vertical Token Factory: The Core Positioning of Xunce Technology Against this backdrop, Xunce Technology's positioning as a Vertical Token Factory has emerged. If a general-purpose large model is like a power plant, then Xunce Technology is the refinery—it does not produce basic Tokens but rather refines raw data from vertical industries such as finance, telecommunications, electric power, robotics, healthcare, and commercial aerospace into vertical Tokens that large models can directly and efficiently use. With AI Data Agent at its core, Xunce Technology has built a full-chain technical system covering data acquisition, cleansing, standardization, real-time computation, and model fine-tuning. It can transform the complex, heterogeneous private data within enterprises into standardized vertical Tokens that large models can understand, invoke, and measure, all within milliseconds. In 2025, the company's revenue increased by 103% year-on-year to RMB 1.283 billion, the share of non-asset management business revenue rose to 80%, revenue per employee reached RMB 2.9 million, and ARPU jumped from RMB 2.72 million to RMB 5.59 million—behind these figures lies enterprises' genuine willingness to pay for "vertical Tokens". General Tokens are crude oil; vertical Tokens are refined oil. Xunce Technology is that refinery. Strategic Partnership with Shenzhen Data Exchange: Co-building the Standard for Vertical Tokens According to the announcement, this strategic cooperation between Xunce Technology and Shenzhen Data Exchange focuses on three main directions, essentially co-building the production standard for vertical Tokens: First, jointly expand data element and AI innovation businesses to promote enterprise digital and intelligent transformation. As a national-level data exchange, Shenzhen Data Exchange has leading expertise in data compliance circulation and assetization operations. The partnership will accelerate the journey for enterprises from data governance to AI applications. Second, co-build a data assetization and data asset entry service system. As the policy for including data assets on balance sheets is deeply implemented, enterprise data is transforming from cost to asset. Xunce's vertical Token refining capability, combined with Shenzhen Data Exchange's compliance expertise, will provide enterprises with a standardized path to turn data into assets. Third, establish a data specification system for Embodied Intelligence. This is the most forward-looking aspect. The demand for vertical Tokens from Embodied Intelligence (Physical AI) far exceeds that for large language models—robot training requires real physical interaction data; autonomous driving requires massive amounts of real-world driving data. The two parties will jointly develop a vertical Token specification system for scenarios such as intelligent robots, autonomous driving, and smart terminals, addressing the current industry bottleneck of insufficient supply of high-quality vertical Tokens for Physical AI training. The Vertical Token Factory Stands at the Center of the Next Major Opportunity Three distinct business models have emerged in the Token economy: pay-as-you-go (charge for Tokens used), monthly subscription (not charged per Token), and value-based pricing (charge based on the value created). Xunce Technology is advancing its Token-based billing model, which embodies the logic of value-based pricing. Customer Value = Price per Call × Number of Token Calls × Number of Modules Used. The price per call for vertical Tokens is much higher than for general Tokens due to their higher business value content. In 2025, the company's Token-based revenue accounted for 5%, with a target to increase it to 20%-30% in 2026. Conclusion: Xunce Technology's strategic partnership with Shenzhen Data Exchange is a micro-level manifestation of this macro-narrative. Where policy dividends, industrial demand, and technological capability converge, the Vertical Token Factory is no longer a cost center but a value engine. As the Vertical Token Factory, Xunce Technology's long-term value may have just begun to materialize. Because what is truly scarce is not the Token itself, but the ability to turn every Token into refined vertical oil. Enterprise-grade vertical Token factories and vertical models are standing at the center of the next major opportunity.   13/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 02/04/2026 / 10:58 UTC+8 As global population aging intensifies and consumers place greater emphasis on health management in the post-pandemic era, the convergence of AIoT with healthcare has emerged as a core pillar of the next technological wave. In this blue-ocean market, poised to surpass the trillion-dollar mark, the key question lies in extending professional medical services from hospitals into home, a critical focus for the industry. Against this backdrop, Home Control International Limited (1747.HK), a leading global provider of home control solutions, is executing a forward-looking strategic transformation. While continuing to deepen its core home control business, the Group has upgraded its brand to the "Omni Devices" brand, further expanding into the healthcare sector. Home Control is not merely following a trend; it is actively reshaping the global health management value chain through its deep technological expertise.   The Company's latest 2025 annual results underscore its solid growth trajectory. Full-year revenue reached approximately US$109.4 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 1.8%, demonstrating operational resilience amidst a challenging macroeconomic environment. Regionally, while maintaining a strong presence in the Europe and the U.S. (which together accounted for approximately 70.2% of total revenue), the Company is strategically expanding into high-growth emerging markets, particularly India. Notably, revenue contribution from Asia increased from 13.0% in 2024 to 24.5% in 2025. This strategic shift not only optimizes the product mix but also provides diversified momentum for the Group's future growth. Driven by strong growth in higher-margin healthcare solutions and the absence of last year’s one-off impairment provision, profit attributable to owners of the Company surged 183.3% year-on-year to US$7.1 million.   Rapid Smart Home Adoption in Europe and the U.S., as Whole-Home Automation Gains Momentum The global smart home market is expanding rapidly. According to Global Market Insights, the European smart home market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.1% between 2026 and 2035, reaching US$150.1 billion by 2035. Meanwhile, North America, the world's largest and most mature market, accounts for nearly 40% of global growth and is rapidly shifting from standalone devices to whole-home automation. This trend is driven by two key factors. First, strong consumer demand for home security is accelerating the adoption of integrated smart security and mobile applications. Second, rising energy costs and stricter energy-efficiency regulations are significantly boosting demand for smart thermostats and lighting systems. Leveraging its extensive experience in high-quality home control solutions, Home Control upgraded its "Omni Remotes" brand to "Omni Devices" at the end of 2024. This strategic rebranding reflects the Company's evolution beyond traditional control solutions into a broader spectrum of offerings. By applying its long-established expertise in technology innovation, particularly in advanced sensing and wireless connectivity, the Company is developing tailored solutions for vertical segments, unlocking new growth drivers in the flourishing smart home market.   Asia-Pacific Digital Health to Reach US$713 Billion, Strategically Targeting the Home Health Monitoring Megatrend In contrast, the Asia-Pacific region is demonstrating even stronger momentum in the digital health. Market forecasts project the sector to grow at a CAGR of 22.98% from 2025 to 2035, surpassing US$713 billion. Remote patient monitoring and telehealth are among the fastest-growing segments, driven by the accelerating aging population across Asia and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. These trends are significantly boosting demand for home-based health monitoring devices—such as blood glucose and blood pressure monitors—as well as preventive care solutions. Simultaneously, high smartphone penetration rates and strong government support for digital health infrastructure (e.g., China's "Healthy China 2030" policy) are accelerating the adoption of medical-grade devices in the home.   In 2025, Home Control broadened its presence in the healthcare sector by integrating resources with its shareholder, Meta-Wisdom Tech Limited. During the year, revenue from healthcare solutions increased from 14.4% in 2024 to 21.4% of total revenue, highlighting the initial success of its transformation strategy. To build on this momentum, the Company established Orbiva Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary in Hong Kong, dedicated to developing AIoT-enabled home healthcare platforms, ecosystems, and health management products.   On the technology front, the Group has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to jointly develop a secure AIoT-powered healthcare platform. Additionally, Orbiva has secured an intellectual property license for an AI assisted trustworthy home-care intelligence agent system, actively promoting the development of digital twin applications and secure health management devices. By combining technology R&D, data security, and product innovation, Home Control is accelerating the development of an integrated health management solution encompassing "Devices + Platform + Services," while deepening its presence in the Southeast Asian market to capitalize on regional growth opportunities.   Smart IoT Empowers Personal Health Management, Launching a Closed-Loop Ecosystem and Transforming Valuation   Overall, Home Control is undergoing a profound strategic transformation. While leveraging its established smart home foundation to generate stable cash flow, the Group has also been rapidly expanding its high-growth, high-value healthcare business. Building on this foundation, the Company is constructing a comprehensive ecosystem spanning hardware, software, data, and services through strategic acquisitions, industry-academia collaborations, and diverse partnerships.   As the convergence of AIoT and healthcare deepens, the Group is steadily advancing toward its goal of real-time personal health monitoring and seamless integration of online-offline healthcare management. It is also accelerating the deep integration of smart home and health & wellness scenarios. This transformation not only provides a clear and scalable path for future growth but is also expected to drive long-term value creation and a sustained re-rating of the Company's valuation. 02/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 01/04/2026 / 14:00 UTC+8 Over the past few years, the consumer sector has witnessed repeated reshaping of market expectations. From consumption upgrading to downgrading, and from traffic-driven growth to stock competition, the market has grown increasingly discerning toward the catering industry, and is also placing greater emphasis on the sustainability of corporate growth.   In a recent research report, Industrial Securities noted that boosting domestic demand is a top economic priority for 2026. China's residential service consumption has considerable room for improvement compared with overseas markets, and is expected to become a new focus of the country on the basis of further optimizing subsidies for commodity consumption. Capital allocation in the sector is at a historically low level and the overall valuation has priced in many pessimistic expectations. It is recommended to attach importance to 2026 as the first year of service consumption, and lay out the two main lines of inflation expectation recovery and segmented prosperity from a full-year perspective.   Against this macro backdrop, DPC Dash Ltd ("DPC Dash" or the "Company")(1405.HK) recently released an eye-catching annual results. Despite the slowdown in the growth of the catering industry and intensified competition over the past year, which have left many players stuck in a growth bottleneck, DPC Dash has proven with data that an enterprise's resilience to navigate economic cycles never comes from empty slogans, but from solid fundamentals and sustained growth momentum.   01 Profit Quality Improves Steadily, Economies of Scale Accelerate   A quick look at DPC Dash's financial report reveals impressive performance in its core metrics.   In 2025, Domino's China achieved revenue of RMB 5.382 billion, a year-on-year increase of 24.8%, representing five straight years of double-digit growth; adjusted net profit reached RMB 188 million, a year-on-year surge of 43.3%; adjusted EBITDA stood at RMB 635 million, up 28.2% year-on-year; adjusted EBITDA profit margin was 11.8%, a year-on-year increase of 30 basis points. Net profit hit RMB 142 million, a substantial year-on-year surge of 157.1%.   Behind this outstanding performance is the continuous consolidation of profitability at the store level. In 2025, store-level EBITDA totaled approximately RMB 1.001 billion, with a margin of 18.6%; store-level operating profit reached around RMB 740 million, maintaining a healthy operating profit margin of 13.7%.   These figures send a clear signal: the Company's profit growth has moved beyond the inflection point of "turning losses into profits" and entered an upward trajectory of "sustained realization".   2024 marked a milestone as the Company achieved annual profitability for the first time, and 2025 further validated the sustainability of its business model on this basis.   The revenue side maintained a high growth rate of 24.8%, and the profit growth outpaced revenue growth significantly—a typical characteristic of the materialization of economies of scale.   With the expansion of the store network, fixed costs are spread thinner, driving higher marginal profits. Headquarters management expenses are also spread thinner, and supply chain and distribution efficiency is optimized as network density increases. Every seemingly minor cost improvement, multiplied by the scale of over a thousand stores, translates into tangible profit elasticity.   On a deeper level, the improvement in profit quality is also driven by the optimization of store structure. In 2025, the revenue share of newly growing markets rose further. These new stores not only contributed to revenue growth but also boosted the overall profitability with their higher return on investment efficiency.   At the same time, mature markets continued to generate stable cash flow through consecutive years of same-store sales growth. A dual-drive pattern of "mature markets stabilizing the core business and new markets contributing growth elasticity" has taken shape.   It can be said that DPC Dash has built a self-reinforcing operating cycle: scale expansion leads to cost optimization, and such optimization in turn fuels the improvement of profitability, and the improved profitability provides financial support for a new round of expansion.   02 Store Milestone Achieved, 4D Strategy Powers the Growth Flywheel   The core keyword for DPC Dash's 2025 results can be summarized as resilience. This resilience is not a short-term earnings surge, but a sustainable growth capability built on economies of scale, digital barriers and brand moats.   The Company's "4D Strategy" anchored its full-year operations, encompassing high-quality store Development, Delicious Pizza at Value, efficient Delivery experience, and advanced Digital capabilities. These four pillars work in lockstep to accelerate the growth flywheel.   a. Store Network Achieves Growth in Both Quantity and Quality   In 2025, DPC Dash continued its expansion strategy of "deepening and expanding market reach", with a net increase of 307 stores throughout the year, successfully meeting its annual store opening target. By the end of the year, the total number of stores reached 1,315, covering 60 cities. Entering 2026, the pace of expansion has further accelerated, with 62 new stores opening in 46 cities nationwide on New Year's Day alone, including 8 cities where the brand entered those markets for the first time.   What is more noteworthy than the number itself is the performance of the new stores. Most of the newly opened stores are located in non-first-tier cities, yet their growth momentum has been nothing short of stunning. In October 2025, the first store in Xuzhou recorded a daily turnover of over RMB 680,000 on its opening day. The first store in Dalian, which opened on New Year's Day 2026, further refreshed this record to RMB 700,000. As of January 31, 2026, the Company occupied the entire top 50 slots in Domino’s global ranking of first-30-day sales across its network of over 22,000 stores worldwide.   Clearly, the Company's store location selection is not a matter of luck, but a data-driven model.   Every new store opening is backed by scientific, data-driven decision-making, from the analysis of urban tier characteristics and the measurement of business district traffic, to the control of rental costs and the design of delivery radii. "Deepening and expanding market reach" is not blind expansion, but a steady territorial expansion based on a replicable single-store model.   b. Expanding Member Ecosystem, Digital Strategy Builds Core Barriers   As of the end of 2025, the scale of DPC Dash's “loyalty program” exceeded 35.6 million, with a net increase of over 11 million members and more than 15 million new first-time users throughout the year.   The value of these figures lies in the closed data loop. The Company's digitalization has integrated the full customer journey of "ordering-production-delivery-repeat purchase". The accumulated user portrait data can feed back into product research and development and marketing strategies, with data supporting decisions such as which cities to launch new products in, what promotions to match, and when to prioritize sales.   This digital asset is not something competitors can replicate in the short term. It is not a purchasable system, but a collection of user insights and operational methodologies accumulated over the years. At a time when traffic costs are rising steadily, DPC Dash, with a private domain user base of 35 million, has built its own brand moat.   c. Simultaneous Product Innovation and Precision Marketing   On the product front, DPC Dash maintained a high-frequency iteration pace of innovation. Throughout 2025, the Company launched a new product every 6 to 12 weeks, introducing a number of new pizzas that blend regional flavors with global inspiration, and also upgraded classic products with "more portions without extra cost".   From Sicilian-style to Madrid-style pizzas, braised beef brisket with prawns to black truffle & mushroom, each new product enriches the product portfolio while reinforcing the brand’s value-for-money positioning. This continuous product renewal not only meets consumers' pursuit of novelty but also solidifies the foundation for repeat purchases.   In terms of marketing, the Company accurately seized major consumer nodes throughout the year, launching Halloween-themed limited editions, Spring Festival promotions, and cross-border collaborations with popular IPs such as Sanrio. With coordinated online and offline efforts, it successfully reached the young consumer group. Meanwhile, classic promotional activities such as "Buy One Get One Free Super Week" returned regularly, providing consumers with a variety of choices. The simultaneous increase in brand exposure and sales conversion attests to the effectiveness of its marketing strategy.   03 The Expectation Gap in An Era of Differentiation Among Consumer Stocks   Currently, the investment logic of the consumer sector is undergoing profound changes. In the past, "choosing the right track meant success for anyone", but now "investors are scrupulously picking alpha opportunities".   In this differentiated environment, what underappreciated advantages support DPC Dash?   Expectation Gap 1: Pizza’s Inherent Anti-Cyclicality in China   The coexistence of consumption downgrading and upgrading may sound contradictory, but it is the real picture of China's current consumer market. Consumers in first-tier cities may be more budget-conscious, while consumption upgrading in lower-tier markets is just beginning. The uniqueness of the pizza category lies in its dual attributes: it combines everyday convenience with social dining appeal. It works as a RMB 30 quick meal and a presentable RMB 80 treat. This flexible positioning gives pizza unusual resilience in a split consumer landscape.   When the catering sector faces pressure, its essential, everyday appeal provides a defensive cushion; when consumer confidence recovers, its experiential attribute releases growth elasticity. The market is accustomed to simply categorizing pizza as "Western fast food", but overlooks its cross-tier pricing appeal. This inherent advantage of the category is the underlying logic for DPC Dash to navigate economic cycles.   Expectation Gap 2: Accelerating Economies of Scale Beyond 1,000 Stores   Many view economies of scale as linear, assuming that a 10% increase in the number of stores will lead to a corresponding percentage drop in costs. In reality, economies of scale are released in a cumulative and accelerating manner. When store density reaches a certain level, cost efficiency improves at a steepening rate.   The 1,000-store mark is a critical threshold. Crossing this threshold brings qualitative changes in procurement bargaining power, distribution network efficiency and brand recognition. With the further increase in store network density and optimization of operational efficiency, the scale dividends on the supply chain side are also expected to be further released.   Of course, the pace of opening about 300 stores per year means the Company is still in the expansion and investment phase, which requires continuous resource input for the cultivation of new markets and the growth of new stores. But the key is to look at the trend: as the number of stores increases, the fixed component of the single-store cost model will be diluted further; as store density rises, the efficiency of the distribution network will improve. This process does not happen overnight, but the direction is clear.   It is foreseeable that as new stores gradually move beyond the cultivation period and enter the mature stage, the improvement in profitability will be gradually reflected in the financial statements. This gradual but definite improvement is the expectation gap that the market has not yet fully digested.   Expectation Gap 3: Digital Assets Underappreciated in Valuation System of Consumer Stocks   When valuing catering stocks, the market is used to looking at PE ratios, store numbers and same-store sales growth. However, DPC Dash's digital assets, from 35.6 million member data to order forecasting algorithms and delivery route optimization systems, are underappreciated in conventional valuation frameworks.   Digitalization is not a cost center, but a catalyst for higher valuation. A catering enterprise with a large private domain user pool and the ability to accurately reach and operate users has an incomparable long-term value compared with enterprises that rely solely on third-party platform traffic.   As the market gradually recognizes the competitive barriers built by this set of digital assets, the valuation system of DPC Dash is expected to face a re-rating.   Expectation Gap 4: Premium Brand Benefits in Lower-Tier Markets   Top Western brands are still in short supply in lower-tier markets. When young people in a county want to eat authentic pizza for the first time, they often have limited choices. At this time, the emergence of Domino's is not consumption downgrading, but a catch-up opportunity for consumption upgrading. The queuing phenomenon at the first stores in more than a dozen new cities entered in 2025 is the best testament to this.   Behind this explosive growth is the dimension reduction impact of Domino's global brand momentum. According to the "RESTAURANTS 25 2025" released by Brand Finance, Domino's ranked seventh with a brand value of US$6.69 billion, firmly securing a spot in the world's top 10 most valuable restaurant brands. For consumers in lower-tier markets, the recognition and trust in international top brands exceed expectations. This brand endorsement is an advantage that local brands can hardly replicate.   From this perspective, the story of the pizza track in China is far from over. First and second-tier markets compete on density and efficiency, while lower-tier markets compete on the first-mover brand perception. DPC Dash happens to stand at the intersection of these two tracks.   Therefore, for DPC Dash, sinking to lower-tier markets is not a move downmarket, but an in-depth expansion into a blue ocean market.   04 Conclusion   Looking back at the full year of 2025, DPC Dash's economies of scale are being released at an accelerated pace. This is not a simple extensive expansion, but a sustainable snowball-like growth model. When the brand has a solid foundation and the market space is broad enough, growth momentum can be continuously accumulated.   While the market is still debating the strength of consumption recovery, DPC Dash has proven with its brilliant financial report that solid fundamentals are the most reliable anchor through economic cycles.   Of course, DPC Dash is not without challenges. Balancing the speed of expansion and the quality of single stores is a technical task amid rapid expansion. Entering new cities means continuous investment, and the early cultivation period may bring short-term fluctuations. The decline in the proportion of delivery revenue in some new stores will also affect the average transaction value. These are the normal costs associated with expansion, but such investment and layout are for the long term. Crucially, the Company has established a presence in only 60 cities to date, leaving massive untapped potential. Meanwhile, it supports the opening of around 300 new stores annually through internal cash generation, without increasing debt or depleting cash reserves—a level of financial stability rarely seen in the current catering industry.   It is important to note the brand value of Domino's—ranking among the world's top 10 restaurant brands is a moat built over decades. DPC Dash's localized operation capabilities have also been verified: a sustained and strong expansion momentum, new stores in emerging markets repeatedly breaking sales records, a member base exceeding 35.6 million, four consecutive years of being awarded the "Best Employer" by Mercer, and the first "Star Employer" award by Mercer China in 2025.   What the market needs is a telescope for long-termism, not a microscope for short-term fluctuations.   01/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 31/03/2026 / 23:36 UTC+8                                           Cornerstone Technologies ’s JV Spark EV Join Hands with China Southern Power Grid to Open Up New Chapter for Electric Vehicles Charging in Southeast Asia   Since late February 2026, escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have disrupted logistics services through the Strait of Hormuz, severely impacting the global crude oil supply chain, with international oil prices remained volatile at relatively high levels. On March 9, WTI crude briefly touched USD119.48 per barrel, while Brent approached USD120 per barrel—marking the highest levels in nearly four years. Thailand’s retail fuel prices also saw a 20% increase last week. Rising fuel costs not only directly increase the usage cost for traditional ICE vehicles, but also accelerate the global transition toward electric vehicles. According to data from Mordor Intelligence, the ASEAN electric vehicle market is projected to reach USD5.99 billion in 2026, surpassing USD 23.5 billion by 2031 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 30%. Thailand, leveraging its robust manufacturing clusters and government incentive policies, saw domestic EV sales grow by 40% in 2025, capturing a remarkable 39% market share within the regional market. The upward momentum also continued in 2026, with EV sales reaching 38,000 units in the first two months alone. At this pace, annual sales could exceed 200,000 units in 2026, underscoring Thailand’s steadily rising EV penetration rate, which in turn, further drive the demand for corresponding charging infrastructure.   Seeing the vast market opportunities in ASEAN, Cornerstone Technologies Holdings Limited’s joint venture, Spark EV Company Limited (“Spark EV”) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with China Southern Power Grid Lancang-Mekong International Co., Ltd (“CSG-LMI”) on March 25. The two parties will jointly advance Spark EV’s expansion in the Thailand market, aiming to install more than 1,000 charging stations nationwide to strengthen its competitive edge and enhance network efficiency.   As a leading charging service provider, Cornerstone Technologies has established a comprehensive business presence in Hong Kong, covering private residential charging subscription services (Cornerstone HOME) and public charging networks (Cornerstone GO). The former provides monthly subscription-based private charging services for residential buildings, with more than 1,200 users currently enrolled; the latter operates Hong Kong’s largest and most utilized public EV charging network, already in operation across 120 car parks, totaling over 1,900 charging points with more than 87,000 members.   Beyond the Hong Kong market, Cornerstone Technologies is also actively expanding its overseas business through Spark EV, with overseas revenue projected to increase by nearly 70% by 2025. Spark EV has already gained a significant first-mover advantage in Thailand, having partnered with Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited ("Bangchak") to operate over 240 charging stations with more than 175,000 members. Bangchak is one of Thailand's two largest energy companies, with 2,214 service stations across the country. Leveraging its nationwide energy retail network and strategic positioning in promoting green energy transformation, Bangchak provides strong support for Spark EV's charging business in Thailand.   Meanwhile, CSG-LMI is a subsidiary of China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. (“CSG”) As one of China's two largest power grid enterprises, CSG has an annual revenue exceeding RMB800 billion and operates over 100,000 charging stations nationwide. This partnership between Cornerstone Technologies and CSG-LMI is expected to further accelerate its business development in Thailand. CSG-LMI brings unparalleled technical expertise in grid stability and smart grid management. The partnership is expected to provide Spark EV with enhanced technical efficiency in connecting ultra-fast chargers to the local power grid, along with superior operational reliability. Driven by the introduction of the EV 3.5 incentive scheme and the “30@30” target (30% of domestic vehicle production to be zero-emission by 2030), Thailand is expected to become the fastest-growing EV market in Southeast Asia, generating substantial demand for charging infrastructure. Hencd, Spark EV will be well-positioned to further consolidate its market leadership by leveraging a more efficient network and greater cost-effectiveness, thereby attracting more users and increasing overall network utilization.   According to the announcement, following their success in Thailand, the two parties also intend to expand cooperation to other countries within the Lancang-Mekong sub-region, particularly those with higher EV penetration rates and strong growth potential in charging infrastructure. These include Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam. As a result, the synergies between the two parties are expected to continue to unfold, injecting new momentum into the electric vehicle industry across Southeast Asia.   With the steadily expanding scale of its charging business, Cornerstone Technologies is well-positioned to generate stable revenue and recurring cash flow from charging fees. Given the relatively high gross profit margin of the charging business, the Company’s revenue mix is expected to improve significantly, driving overall profitability and breakeven performance. This strategic partnership not only supports the wider adoption of EVs in the region but also provides Cornerstone Technologies with a solid foundation to enhance profitability and establish long-term growth drivers. Looking ahead, the collaboration is expected to become an important milestone in advancing regional energy transition and green mobility development, opening up a new chapter for the EV landscape in Southeast Asia.     31/03/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com

EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 31/03/2026 / 15:21 UTC+8 On March 30, Huitongda Network (9878.HK) announced its 2025 annual results. 2025 marked a pivotal year for Huitongda as it executed strategic upgrades and deepened its transformation, steering the Company toward high-quality development. The Company significantly improved its operating quality, with revenue for the year reaching RMB52.3 billion and profit rising 14.6% year-on-year (“yoy”) to RMB529 million. Gross profit margin increased by 18% yoy to 4.5%, while profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company rose 11.3% yoy to RMB300 million. The Company also recorded net cash generated from operating activities of RMB419 million for the year, maintaining positive operating cash inflow for seven consecutive years.   The three key financial indicators, namely gross profit margin, net profit margin, and net profit margin attributable to equity shareholders of the Company, all reached historical highs, fully demonstrating the continuous improvement in operational quality and profitability despite notable operational challenges and macro headwinds. In fact, the continuous improvement in operational quality and profitability following the strategic upgrades also marked the Company's entry into a new cycle of high-quality development, characterized by enhanced profitability, improved operating quality, and transformational upgrade.   Enhancing Profitability and Quality: Strategic Upgrade Delivering Solid Results According to the results announcement, with profit and cash flow as its key priorities for the year, Huitongda focused its resources on high-growth sectors such as "technology-enabled" and "smart supply chain", achieving breakthrough progress across four key dimensions.   In terms of building a smart supply chain, Huitongda has built an efficient supply chain system featuring reverse customization, short-chain distribution, and digitalization across multiple industries, launching three major projects, including the "Brand Express", "Self-owned Brand Ecosystem Development", and "Open-Platform Smart Supply Chain System". Benefiting from these initiatives, the gross profit margin of TOP brands increased by approximately 30% during the new product launch season, and the sales per store (member stores) increased by more than 40%. Meanwhile, revenue of new product categories such as fast-moving consumer goods and senior-friendly health products increased by more than 50% yoy. Sales of Huitongda's self-owned brands also exceeded RMB140 million, representing a yoy increase of 37%, with gross profit margin exceeding 40%.   The Group also delivered outstanding results in the development and application of its AI products. To advance the smart upgrade of "AI + industries", the Company launched its retail-scenario-based "Qiancheng Cloud AI" vertical model, with the model completing the filing with the Cyberspace Administration of China during the year. The Company also reached a full-stack comprehensive AI cooperation with Alibaba Cloud, further expanding its offerings and boosting its AI-related revenue from zero to over RMB100 million, accounting for approximately 20% of total service revenue. Currently, retail stores and supply chain customers can conveniently utilize various intelligent agents through multiple platforms, such as the "Qiancheng AI Super Store Manager APP" and the "Qiancheng AI Portal" (ai.qcos.cn), supporting a wide range of operational tasks, including merchandise sourcing, e-commerce livestreaming and community marketing.   In terms of new retail formats, Huitongda made significant breakthroughs by tapping into FMCG discount business, officially entering the retail chain sector through "hard-discount supermarkets". The first batch of hard-discount supermarkets opened in December 2025, marking the completion of major upgrades for Huitongda: from lower-tier markets to the broader nationwide market, from a pure "to-B" model to a "to-B plus to-C" model, and from a primary focus on high-value products that require strong customer experience and after-sales service (the so-called “three-high” categories) to a comprehensive product portfolio, creating a new growth driver in the process.   Under the dual drivers of "Industry + Capital", Huitongda saw significant breakthroughs during the year, expanding its industrial footprint while expediting investments and acquisitions of high-quality and value-creating assets. Specifically, the Company acquired a 25% equity interest in A-share listed company Jin Tong Ling, a high-end manufacturer, and became its controlling shareholder, in an attempt to bridge “large consumption + intelligent manufacturing”. It also acquired a 57% equity interest in Boundary Consulting, a leading e-commerce AI company. According to the Company’s previous announcement, Boundary Consulting is expected to record net profit attributable to shareholders of no less than RMB85 million, RMB100 million and RMB115 million in the next three years, respectively.   Through these strategic acquisitions, the Company has established a new growth framework of “large consumption + intelligent manufacturing + AI technology”, injecting fresh momentum into its future development.   Driving Transformational Upgrades: Four Major Innovative Projects to Lead Future Growth, Accelerating Value Realization In the new era guided by the "15th Five-Year Plan", which emphasizes strategies such as "rejuvenating the lower-tier markets", "persistently expanding domestic demand", "optimizing and upgrading traditional industries", and "cultivating and expanding emerging and future industries", Huitongda will leverage its competitive advantage in the lower-tier markets to empower physical retail operators in urban and rural areas, supply chain partners, upstream manufacturers, and cutting-edge technology enterprises through "innovative supply chains" and "AI+", advancing its four major innovation initiatives and accelerating its transition into a new phase of value creation.   First is to accelerate its development in retail chains and fast-moving consumer goods. In early 2026, Huitongda reached a strategic cooperation with the leading discount snack chain Ling Shi You Xuan (零食優選) to jointly operate its more than 2,800 stores nationwide. Going forward, Huitongda will rapidly expand its footprint through self-operation, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and other expansion models. By leveraging its supply chain and AI capabilities, the Company will strive to move rapidly into the industry’s leading tier, establishing presence and creating a new growth driver through hard-discount chains, bulk snack stores, community supermarkets, and convenience stores.   Second is to focus on growing AI applications. Targeting the full value chain of retail operations, Huitongda will continue to strengthen its system and empowerment capabilities, focusing on "AI + Digital Intelligence + Hardware-Software Integration". On one hand, the Company will further strengthen the foundation of its vertical large model; on the other hand, it will accelerate the R&D and commercialization of AI agents, robots and other products and applications, so as to strengthen its technological entry barrier and servicing capability, and empower member stores, retail chain outlets and e-commerce merchants across multiple scenarios.   Third is to build an intelligent technology services platform. Leveraging the end-to-end service capabilities for technology products developed through Huitongda's long-term and in-depth cooperation with leading brands such as Apple, along with the capabilities of its subsidiary Jujia Yuntong (居家運通), the Company is comprehensively upgrading its capabilities to build an “Intelligent Technology Product Services Platform”. The platform is expected to drive the market-oriented and scaled commercialization of cutting-edge technologies, such as embodied intelligence and brain-computer interface technologies, while providing full-cycle commercialization services for hard-tech enterprises.   Fourth is to build an innovative supply chain platform centered on fast-moving consumer goods. Huitongda will continue to advance projects such as "Self-owned Brand Ecosystem Development" and "Brand Express", in an attempt to raise supply chain efficiency through centralized procurement, customization, self-owned brand development, AI, and big data applications. At the retail end, by covering various consumption touch points such as chain stores, private-domain channels and instant retail, it also aims to become an innovative supply chain service platform, serving all channels and adapting to new consumption patterns.   In 2025, Huitongda has also completed the use of reserves to offset losses, clearing the obstacles for dividend distribution. In 2026, by balancing long-term development with shareholder interests, the Company will make comprehensive plans to continuously improve its return mechanism, actively sharing the development results with its shareholders through cash dividends and other means. At the same time, the Company has initiated an H-share buyback program and will strive to reward shareholders' trust by flexibly using buybacks and other tools based on prevailing market conditions.   2026 will be a critical year for Huitongda, marking its transition from strategic upgrades to value realization. Leveraging its strong position in lower-tier markets, and driven by the AI technology revolution, the transformation of new retail formats, and industrial capital, the Company will use AI to enhance operating efficiency, create industrial value through its supply chain capabilities, and unlock incremental growth through retail chains. At the same time, Huitongda will continue to advance its “Industry + Capital” strategy and pursue more high-quality M&A opportunities across retail chains, AI vertical applications, technology service platforms and innovative supply chains. Against the backdrop of deeper integration between technological and industrial innovation, improving circulation in the consumer market, and continued support for rural revitalization, Huitongda remains committed to creating sustainable long-term value for its partners and society. 31/03/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com